


Trapped in the Past

by Aceofstars16



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Mullet Stan Pines, Other, Paranoid Ford Pines, Pre-Portal Incident (Gravity Falls), Time Travel, Timetrapped Au, timestuck au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-11
Updated: 2019-07-31
Packaged: 2020-01-11 06:37:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 33,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18424914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aceofstars16/pseuds/Aceofstars16
Summary: When Mabel and Dipper fight over a time machine, they find themselves sent back thirty years in the past. Now its up to the younger versions of their great uncles to get them home.A Timestuck AU inspired byartsycrapfromsai





	1. It All Started With A Fight

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr post](http://aceofstars16.tumblr.com/post/184098628578/trapped-in-the-past-chapter-1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dipper finds himself in a snowy Gravity Falls, years before the Mystery Shack was a tourist trap. A few states away, Mabel discovers that she isn't in 2012 anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Tumblr Post](http://aceofstars16.tumblr.com/post/184098628578/trapped-in-the-past-chapter-1)

Cold. That was the first thing Dipper felt – which was a rarity for him as he was almost always sweating. Shaking his head, he looked up and immediately froze. This was not right, this was not right at all, because there was  _snow_  on the ground.

No, no, it was fine. They had a time machine, they could just go back and fix everything, all he had to do was get Mabel and convince her that - oh no.

Dipper looked around frantically, searching desperately for his sister. But she was nowhere to be seen.

“No, no, no, no…MABEL!”

Scrambling to his feet, Dipper searched frantically for any sign of his sister, but aside from the trench he had made in the snow, there was no sign of any other creature around. Oh gosh, this was not good…

Taking a deep breath, Dipper tried to reason it out. She couldn’t be that far. Unless she had run off. He quickly shook his head; Mabel wouldn’t do that. But they had been arguing over his perfect day with Wendy when…something had happened. A tussle with the time machine and now she was nowhere to be found and he was here, in the snow. Only when the reality settled in, did he realize he was freezing.

Casting another desperate look around the woods, Dipper rubbed his arms, trying to figure out where in the world he was. Wait…that “w” shaped tree looked familiar. It was in the clearing where the carnival was being held! Which meant the Mystery Shack was…spotting the almost hidden path, Dipper sighed a breath of relief. He wasn’t lost.

Vowing to come back and make a more thorough search for Mabel once he found Grunkle Stan and maybe some warmer clothes, Dipper made his way through the snow as quickly as he could, but his teeth were already chattering like crazy.

As he walked, Dipper felt himself warming up, if only slightly, though every time the wind blew, he would start shivering again. Gosh he sure hoped Mabel wasn’t out alone in this cold too. Though her sweater might keep her a little warmer, unlike his vest, which wasn’t doing much to conserve warmth.  

After what seemed like ages, Dipper spotted a familiar clearing and he raced forward, his cold limbs stumbling in the snow as he ran. But as he entered the clearing, he slid to a stop.

The shack in front of him was familiar all right, it had the same build as the one he knew, the same triangle windows and steep roof, but there was one glaring difference. There was no Mystery Shack perched on the roof, no signs pointing to the gift shop. In fact, the only sign he saw was a blatant “no trespassing” sign.

“G-great…” he muttered to himself. It seems he was stuck in some time before Stan had turned his house into a tourist trap.

A vicious gust of wind slammed into Dipper’s back, resulting in him shivering like crazy. Oh well, Mystery Shack or no, he needed to get warm. And surely Stan would help him out, right? He couldn’t be that heartless.

Taking a deep breath – which only made him feel colder – Dipper made his way to the front door and steeled himself before knocking. Only after his hand hit the wood did he realize he hadn’t come up with a cover story as to why in the world he was out in the woods all alone.

The door swung open and before Dipper could even process what was happening, he was looking down the sights of a crossbow.

“Have you come to steal my eyes?!?”

For a second, all Dipper could do was stare at the man in front of him. Bloodshot eyes, messy hair, an unkempt shirt, a cleft chin- wait, that wasn’t right…

“S-Stan?”

The man, whose eyes had been wide with paranoia a second before, narrowed to slits. “Who are you and how do you know that name?”

“I uh, you aren’t, um-“ Dipper fumbled with his words, not even knowing where to start. Because this was not what he had been expecting at all. Maybe some suspicion, yes, but not a man who looked like he was about to lose his mind. Could this really be a younger Stan? It looked like it could be but something didn’t quite seem-

“Wait…six fingers?!?” Dipper blurted it out before he could even think, his eyes transfixed on the man’s fingers. Could it…could it really be…? “You-you’re the author?!?”

Looking up at Stan-maybe-not-really-Stan, Dipper gawked. Could he really be meeting the author of the journals?!?

For a moment, the author just looked at him, confusion flittering through his eyes, but then they narrowed again. “I don’t know who you are or what you are talking about but you need to go, now.”

The excitement from a moment ago deflated and Dipper looked at the snowy landscape behind him, then back at the stranger, who he was still convinced couldn’t possibly be his great uncle or, if he was  _something_  must have happened because this man was nothing like Stan. “But, but, I-“

“Go on!” With a shooing motion, the author made to close the door but Dipper quickly grabbed it.

“Wait! I-I don’t know, I don’t have a place to, I…” Words failed as Dipper tried to figure out what to say that wouldn’t completely ruin the timeline while also convincing his hero to not throw him out into the cold.

Once again, the man narrowed his eyes, looking about a second away from slamming the door shut on Dipper’s fingers. But then a gust of wind blew against the house, chilling Dipper to the bone as he pulled his hand back to hug himself, trying to conserve warmth.

A moment later the door opened all the way, but before Dipper could react, a bright light was shining into one eye, then the other.

“Agh, wha?” Blinking his eyes, Dipper tried to clear the spots away.

“You can come in to call your parents and warm up, but that’s it.” Stan-not-Stan waved him inside and despite still being confused out of his mind, Dipper stepped inside, rubbing his arms to try and warm up a little more. However, the interior wasn’t entirely warm either, as if the heater only came on once a day and the rest of the time the house was just slowly getting colder. It was still significantly better than outside though.

The decoration on the other hand, was terrible. Dipper thought the Mystery Shack was bad, but this was worse. There was somewhat of an organized chaos in the museum, but this? This was utter chaos. Papers were littered all over the floor, random specimens were lining the shelves. Dust floated in the air. It looked like the place hadn’t had a good cleaning in months…

A blanket being shoved close to his face interrupted Dipper’s view of the room, and all thoughts of the mess dissipated as he quickly grabbed the strange smelling fabric and wrapped it around his arms. If it had been any other circumstance, he wouldn’t have willingly touched something that smelled so unpleasant, but right now anything to help him warm up was welcome.

“The phone is just over here.” The author was looking at Dipper with narrowed eyes, which was a little unsettling. Then again almost everything about this was unsettling.

“Oh…phone…right…uh…” Dipper played with the tassels on the blanket, because he could totally call his parents but they wouldn’t pick up. Heck he wasn’t even sure how old they would be right now.

“This way.” There was a harsh, almost growl-like tone in Not-Stan’s voice, but as Dipper hesitantly followed him, he couldn’t help but think his behavior – and how he kept glancing at Dipper – was more reminiscent of someone that was more anxious than aggressive.

They reached the phone, but as Dipper picked it up, he looked at the man and then at the dial.

“Well?”

“Ummm…I don’t remember their number…” A lie, but at the moment, Dipper didn’t have any better ideas.

Eyes narrowed even more, then the author ran a hand over his eyes. “Alright, tell me why you are really here? Were you sent by someone? How did you know my br-Stan’s name?”

Dipper opened his mouth, only to close it again. He had no clue what to say or do and he found his legs starting to pace as he tried to figure out the answer. “I-I don’t know how to…agh, I mean…no I wasn’t sent by anyone, it was all an accident with my sister, and about Stan…” Pausing, Dipper looked at him, needing to know. “How do you know Stan?”

“That is none of your business!”

Dipper stumbled back at the outburst. What was he supposed to do? He couldn’t  _tell_  this man how he knew Stan without possible disrupting the timeline, but he didn’t really have any good alternatives.

A sigh escaped the author, and despite still giving Dipper a wary look, he also took a step back and made a placating gesture with his hands. “Alright, alright…how about…what’s your name?”

Well at least that was one question he could answer. “Dipper. And you are…?”

The man quirked an eye at his name, but seemed to shrug it off. “Stanford Pines.”

“What? But, but-” Dipper blurted out before he could even think. There was no way this was Stan, but…he had the same name and he looked like Stan too. What was happening? “I…how are you…you said Stan, but, you’re not Stan and…” Dipper didn’t even realize he was pacing until a foot slammed down on the floor in front of him, making him skid to a halt.

“That’s it, you need to tell me right now. How do you know my brother?”

“Wait…brother…?” Dipper stared at Stanford-but-not-the-grunkle-Stanford-he-knew, did… “You…Stan…he’s…your twin?”

A small frown grew on Stanford’s face and he answered in a strained voice. “Yes…but you still haven’t told me how you know Stan.”

“I…” Dipper took a step forward, his feet ready to pace again, but an arm blocked his way.

“Tell me. Now.”

“I want to but it could mess up the timeline and…oh no I didn’t mean, uh, I-“

Stanford’s eyebrows shot up and he straightened up a little. “Timeline?”

“Nothing, it’s nothing I uh…agh!” Pressing his hands over his eyes, Dipper tried to think of something, anything to clear up that he wasn’t a danger but also not…royally mess something up by saying anything about the future.

“You know my brother from another time then?”

Hands dropping to his sides, Dipper pulled the blanket – which was pretty much falling off of him from all the pacing – around his shoulders again before shrugging. “Yeah…but I don’t want to-“

Stanford held up a hand. “You don’t want to mess with the timeline.”

Dipper nodded uncomfortably, not really sure what else to say. Then Stanford looked at him, suspicion still clouding his gaze.

“We need to get you back. I assume you have a time machine of a sort?”

“Yes…and no…I looked for it but…Mabel! She, she’s still out there! We gotta look for her, and I bet she has the time machine since I couldn’t find it.” As he spoke, Dipper looked down at his shorts and vest combo, and frowned. It worked well for the summer, but he needed about five more layers for all the snow that was outside. “I don’t suppose you have any clothes I could borrow?”

A thoughtful frown grew on Stanford’s face. “I might be able to find something that could work.”

* * *

_Snip, snip._  Ford tried not to think about how he was destroying his clothes for an absolute stranger – not that he ever wore these, they had been buried in the bottom of his sock drawer, but still. Everything about this encounter with the kid – Dipper - was suspicious and he did not trust suspicious. As far as he knew, this could be Bill trying to distract him, and he couldn’t afford to let anything distract him. But then again, right now he was just waiting, biding his time hoping that Stan would actually come.

Looking up, he saw Dipper watching him, his eyes transfixed on his hands. Old insecurities came to the surface of his mind. On any other day he could brush them aside with some ease, but in his current mental state that was pretty much impossible.

“Here, these should work for a short period of time.” Shoving the makeshift legwarmers at the kid, Ford stood up and hid his hands in his coat pockets. Shaking his head to try and clear away the insecurities, and the voices he could swear he was hearing.  _Weirdo. Idiot. Looser._  The words only seemed to grow louder the more he tried to ignore them. Maybe some fresh air would do him some good. The cold might at least help wake him up. It had been what, an hour since his last cup of coffee? And he was starting to feel it. Later, he could deal with that later. First, get this kid out of here, then he could focus on keeping his eyes open so Bill couldn’t continue his schemes.

“Yeah this is fashionable…”

Dipper’s words interrupted Ford’s thoughts and he glanced at the boy, who looked almost amusing with his shorts and three pairs of socks turned into legwarmers.

“No one will be out in this weather. I think I have a spare coat you can put on to keep your arms warm.” Besides, there are weirder looking things in this town. Ford didn’t voice that thought, and as soon as it crossed his mind, he realized he might be letting down his guard once again. That wouldn’t do.

Walking to the coat closet – which held more notes and inventions than coats – Ford rummaged through until he found the smallest coat he owned, all while trying to keep an eye on Dipper. Trust Bill to send a kid in to act all innocent only to jump on him the second Ford turned a blind eye.

“Here, it will be big, but better than nothing.”

Big was an understatement. Ford had to help the kid roll up the sleeves, which kept swallowing his hands, and it was almost dragging on the floor - in the snow it would most definitely get wet. But there wasn’t much he could do about that, it’s not like he had any safety pins lying around. Or if he did, he didn’t know where they would be. The last few weeks had been comprised of trying to hide his journals and not totally lose his sanity. Not much time to take note of insignificant things like safety pins.

“That will have to do. Now, come on, let’s find your time machine.”

“And my sister!” Dipper interjected, and Ford saw a shadow of…something cross the kid’s face. But he brushed it off, no time to dwell on that. The sooner they found the machine and the girl, the better.

“Right, of course, and your sister.”

Opening the door, Ford pulled his coat tighter around him and stepped out into the icy Oregon wind.

* * *

 Everything was dark for a moment, then a flash of light burned into Mabel’s eyes. Concrete scraped her knees and before she could even tell what the heck was going on, a loud shrieking wailed just in time for her to scream and roll out of the way as a car skidded past her.

Eyes wide, Mabel just stared at the shops in front of her, but she wasn’t really taking any of it in. Her heart was racing, her knees throbbing, and her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton. But in the back of her mind something didn’t seem quite right. Maybe it was the storefronts that look a little dated, or maybe it was the fact that she was starting to shiver a little despite it being summer.

“Kid you okay?”

That voice, Mabel knew that voice… And if Grunkle Stan was here then everything had to be oka-

The thought died in her mind as she looked up and caught sight of the man in front of her. He wasn’t the old man she had gone fishing with, or who made her laugh almost as much as Dipper. No, he was young. His hair was brown, his clothes dirty – even moreso than they were before laundry day at the Shack – and there were tired bags under his eyes. But his eyes…despite the confusion and concern lining them, somehow she just knew they were her grunkle’s eyes.

A million questions started piling up in Mabel’s mind. Why was Stan so young? Why was she in the middle of the road in a strange town? Where was Dipper? Oh gosh…the fight. She had been so determined to save Waddles from Pacifica, and they had fought and - the time machine!

Mabel quickly looked around, eyes scanning desperately until they saw it, broken and scattered on the gravel road.

“No!” Scrambling forward, Mabel gently picked up each piece of the busted device. “No, no, no…” This was beyond a simple fix, this was…it was unfixable. Her hands started shaking, and she lowered the machine parts carefully to the ground, scared of inflicting anymore damage on it. But that didn’t stop the tightening of her chest, or the quickening of her breath as anxiety overwhelmed her.

“Hey, kid…”

A hand hesitantly touched her shoulder and Mabel didn’t even care that it wasn’t the Stan she knew. She flung her arms around him and clung tight to him, a sob escaping her mouth, which then turned into a blubber of breathless gasps as tears slid down her face.

“Uh…it’s…it’s okay kiddo…”

A hand patted her back, and Mabel buried her face Stan’s jacket, not even caring that it smelled worse than Dipper after a week of avoiding a shower.

* * *

Stan had no clue what he was doing. One minute, he had been driving, and the next thing he knew, a kid had just appeared out of nowhere right in the middle of the road. Thankfully he had managed to avoid hitting the girl, but now she was clinging to him like he wasn’t a grifter trying to make ends meat by whatever means possible. But the kid was clearly going through something and he knew all too well what it was like to feel alone and scared, so he let her cry, not quite sure what to do but allowing her to hug him as long as she needed.

Minutes passed and the kid’s sobs died down and her grip on his jacket eased until she was simply resting her head on his chest, as if he was someone she trusted despite being an absolute stranger. Man, who had hurt this kid?

“Uh…you doing okay now?”

A quiet sniffle, then she nodded against his chest.

“So uh…what’s your name kiddo?” There were other questions he could ask for sure, but he figured starting with the basics was the best route. And names were good. He wasn’t just gonna keep calling her kid – even if she  _was_  still a child, one far too young to be on her own.

“M-Mabel.”

“That’s a nice name…I’m Stan.” Ironically, he actually was actually Stan in this town. He had figured he was far enough away from New Jersey that he could actually go by his real name – that and trying to remember fake names got kind of tiring after a while. Especially when he had to keep changing it every few months.

Mabel opened her mouth but closed it again, simply resting her head on his chest again. Geeze, and he thought that incident with the monkeys in Columbia was strange. This was just…Stan shook his head, trying not to think about it too much. If the kid was in trouble, he’d do what he could to help her.

“So, where you from?”

Once again, she opened her mouth, only to close it, biting her lip. “California…where…what town is this?”

Crap, that wasn’t good. How in the world had she gotten to an entirely different state? “This is Dead End Flats, in New Mexico. You on vacation with your family or something?”

At that, Mabel straightened up a little and looked around, as if searching for something. “I…I was visiting my great- uh…family with my brother but…” She shut her mouth again, looking around again before her shoulders dropped. “I don’t see him anywhere…”

“Hey, I’m sure he’s around here somewhere, we’ll find him. What’s his name?” Stan didn’t know for sure if he would be able to find another kid – maybe at the police station. Just that thought sent an unpleasant shudder down his spine, but he tried to push that away. He didn’t want to quash any hope Mabel might have and if he had to go to the police to help her? So be it.

“Dipper…”

Well that was the strangest name Stan had ever heard…

“…he looks kind of like me, s-same hair, and e-eyes. We’re twins…”

Twins…a weight grew in Stan’s chest at the mere mention of the word. For a moment he was back in New Jersey, looking up at a window whose curtains had been drawn. No one should lose their twin… “You want to look for him? I uh…I can help you search for a little while at least.” Stan tried not to think about the meeting he had later that evening, one he had been trying to avoid. Mainly because he didn’t have the money he owed. Maybe he could manage to buy himself a few more days until he could either find some or, preferably, leave the town and never come back.

Mabel nodded, but then she looked at the concrete again, at the…thing that had sent her crying a few moments ago. She scooped it up and looked at Stan. “Can I put this in your car f-for safe keeping?”

Stan glanced at what appeared to be a broken tape measure. Why the heck that needed safe keeping, he didn’t know, but he nodded. “Sure thing kiddo.” Getting to his feet, he walked over and opened the door, watching as she placed it on the floor, hidden a bit by some of his…belongings, though most of it was just trash. After locking the door, he froze as a hand grabbed his.

Looking down at Mabel, he tried for a smile, which she returned. Then he let her lead him down the sidewalk, despite the worry growing in his gut. He didn’t have time for this…and he really didn’t want any of Rico’s gang to see him walking with a little kid. There was no telling what they might do. And yet, he knew he couldn’t just leave her, not when she was alone and scared. Besides, helping her out wouldn’t take too long and soon she’d be back with her brother and family, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I absolutely love the Timestuck AU but after reading about Sai's Timetrapped version, I just had to expand on it! Though I took a different route than most people in that I made it all take place before the kids knew about Ford! In a sense this is an AU of "Time Traveler's Pig" because that's where it seemed to fit best?  
> I'm still working out plot points for everything, but I really hope to actually finish this fic???  
> Thanks for reading and if you comment I will love you forever! <3


	2. A Fruitless Search

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dipper searches for Mabel in the snow. Mabel tries to find Dipper in Dead End Flats. Discouragement abounds, but at least they both have someone looking out for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Tumblr Post](http://aceofstars16.tumblr.com/post/184214096728/trapped-in-the-past-chapter-2)   
>  [Original Timetrapped AU Idea](http://artsycrapfromsai.tumblr.com/tagged/timetrapped-au)

“Mabel!”

The wind blew Dipper’s hair back as he called out, chilling his face and making him shiver despite the coat and socks. He didn’t know when he had lost his hat, all he knew was that it was nowhere to be seen. Which was unfortunate because right now it would help his head say warmer, and of course there was the fact that it hid his birthmark.

Narrowing his eyes against the cold, Dipper caught sight of Stanford looking back at him and out of pure instinct he reached up and flattened his bangs against his forehead. For a moment, the author just looked at him, a frown on his face, but then he turned and kept walking. After taking a few steps, however, Dipper realized they were going down the wrong trail.

“Uh, Mr. uh…Stanford, er…”

Stopping in his tracks, Stanford looked back at him, eyes narrowed slightly. “Just call me Ford.”

“Oh.” That wasn’t what Dipper was expecting. He always imagined the author as this larger than life person, not someone he could just call…a nickname? “Ummm, I think I actually came from that trail.” Pointing to the path that he was pretty sure would lead to the carnival clearing, Dipper found his hand once again pressing  down his bangs.

Ford glanced at the trail for a moment, as if lost in thought. Then he shook his head before walking forward, but as he passed Dipper he spoke. “You don’t need to keep covering your birthmark. No one is going to see it out here.”

Dipper’s hand fell to his side as he watched Ford continue to walk in the snow. Of course someone with six fingers would be used to rude comments, in fact, that was just one of the things that Dipper had connected with while reading the journal. However, he still wasn’t entirely sure what to make of his hero, now that he was actually meeting him. The suspicious behavior and disheveled look wasn’t exactly what he had been imagining, but surely there was an explanation for that?

“Hurry up, this weather can change in an instant and I don’t want to be stuck in a blizzard.”

Ford’s voice interrupted Dipper’s thoughts and he shook his head before trotting forward, going as fast as he could in the snow. “Sorry, coming!”

Stumbling after the author, Dipper kept his eyes out for any sign of Mabel, calling out her name every few feet. But as they reached the clearing, the only sign of life were his own footprints from earlier.

“MABEL!” Dipper called out, his voice already getting sore from shouting so much. Her name rang through the clearing but there was no response, just the whistling of wind.

“There are a few caves we can check, this way.” Ford waved his hand and kept walking, though Dipper couldn’t help but notice how he seemed to keep glancing around quickly, as if he was being watched. Each time he did, Dipper would cast a worried glance behind him. There didn’t seem to be anything around, but Ford’s unease was contagious. That, plus there being no sign of his sister anywhere, resulted in a heaviness settling on his chest that was impossible to ignore.

“Mabel! Mabel please, I’m sorry for everything, please answer!”

Wind was the only response. Again, and again, at each nook and cave that Ford lead them to, and with each empty response, Dipper grew more and more worried.

“No signs here either.”

Dipper barely heard Ford’s voice through the exhaustion of his body and the anxiety clouding his mind. “S-she has to be around h-here somewhere.” As he spoke, Dipper’s teeth chattered. The coat that had barely been keeping him warm was now drenched at the bottom. He wasn’t even sure it was keeping any warmth in now.

Hugging himself Dipper started walking forward again, not even sure where else Mabel could be, but not wanting to give up either. Then Ford’s arm appeared in front of him, blocking his way. Glancing up at him, Dipper could see a frown on his face. However, he wasn’t looking at Dipper, but the sky.

“It’s getting dark.” Ford’s frown grew as he spoke, as if not liking what he was about to say. “We need to head back before the sun goes down. Or else we are going to freeze.”

“But, w-what about M-Mabel?!?” Despite the shivers that were shaking his entire body, Dipper knew he couldn’t just go back to the Shack without finding her.

“There is no telling where she is. Maybe she found someone to take her in for the night, but we can’t stay out here any longer.”

It was the last thing Dipper wanted to do, but as Ford started making his way back down the trail, Dipper followed. Exhaustion and despair weighing him down.

Then, as he was stumbling after Ford, his foot caught on a rock and he couldn’t catch himself - his body was too exhausted from trekking around in the snow for over an hour. Landing face first in the snow, Dipper’s incessant shivering, which had overtaken his body, grew even worse.

“What are you-?”

Dipper heard Ford’s voice cut off, but he was so tired that he couldn’t even respond. His whole body felt like a block of ice. He wasn’t even sure he could get up again. He was so drained, both emotionally and physically. All he wanted to do was lie down and wake up back in the Mystery Shack he knew with Mabel safe next to him.

“Come on, we need to hurry.” A hand rested on his shoulder and as Dipper forced himself to look up, he saw Ford crouching next to him. A moment later the author stood and offered him a hand. Closing his eyes for a moment, Dipper tried to gather his strength and remind himself that he couldn’t do Mabel any good if he froze out here. Then he reached up, accepting Ford’s hand and allowing himself to be pulled up.

The whole walk back, Dipper was barely aware of the hand that rested on his shoulder, guiding him at each turn in the trail, or how he was pulled up and steadied every time he stumbled. All he could think about was putting one foot in front of the other. But in the back of his mind, worry nagged at him and he couldn’t help but be weighed down by the fact that Mabel might be out in the cold, all alone. All because of a stupid fight over a machine. He’d gladly give up his day with Wendy just to know that Mabel was okay.

* * *

Ford was exhausted. Though that was normal for him lately. However, now his body felt even more drained. It took most of his concentration to keep standing, though he constantly reminded himself to keep on eye on Dipper. Of course Bill would send someone who had an oddity as well, trying to get Ford to feel pity so he would let down his guard. And it had worked. Ford found himself helping the kid take off the soaked clothes he was wearing and wrap him up in a few blankets that he could find. He had even turned on the heater despite knowing warmth might lull him to sleep again.

It was a ploy, he kept telling himself that. But part of him also realized that Dipper might not know Bill was using him. After all, Ford himself had been a pawn for the demon. And if that was the case, then, well…Dipper _was_ just a kid. Plus, his fingers had been turning blue by the time they had made it back to the house. Ford might not trust the kid, but he wasn’t just going to let someone freeze.

Besides, he doubted Dipper had any energy to do anything for Bill at the moment. As soon as he had sat on the couch, the kid hadn’t moved and even as Ford checked again, he was in the same spot, still shivering a little despite the blankets wrapped around his shoulders.

A beeping interrupted Ford’s observation and he made his way back to the kitchen, sighing as he noted that his coffee wasn’t finished brewing yet. He really needed something to give him some energy or he was liable to fall asleep on his feet. Shaking his head - both clear it and to wake himself up - Ford pulled the mug out of the microwave before pouring an old package of hot chocolate mix into the water. He didn’t drink much of the stuff, but Fiddleford had kept some around and apparently he had left a few packages behind.

Once he had mixed the powder as well as he could, Ford made his way back to the living room, trying not to pay attention to how his legs felt like they were full of led.

“Here, drink this.”

Dipper looked up slowly, and for a second he looked confused, but then he focused on the mug and reached out to accept it, his fingers tightly wrapping around the warm cup before taking a sip. A small shiver ran through his body, but then he took another sip and his shoulders relaxed a little.

“Aren’t you cold?”

The question took Ford by surprise and he stared at Dipper for a moment. Yes, he was cold, but he was used to being cold - it had become normal for him. Though he supposed, he _was_ a little colder than he would like. “I’m fine, I have coffee brewing.”

A quiet “oh” was the only response as Dipper continued to drink his cocoa, his eyes drooping more with each sip. Well at least it seemed to be warming him up, though Ford felt a knot of unease forming in his gut as Dipper seemed about a second away from falling asleep. Bill loved using people while they slept…

However, a few minutes later – after Ford had put Dipper’s mug in the sink and watched as the kid slept – he had to admit his worry seemed to be unwarranted. Dipper was out cold and there was no sign of Bill anywhere. Well, aside from the quiet whispers that continued to follow Ford wherever he went. He had even heard them out in the snow, despite being far away from the portal. Occasionally they fell into the background, but then he would hear them again and the paranoia in his chest would return – though he was starting to think that maybe that it had never actually left.

Taking a sip of coffee, Ford forced himself to move again – even standing still for too long resulted in him almost falling over from exhaustion. He needed to move, and despite not wanting to turn his back on Dipper, he found himself making his way to the basement. The portal had been shut off for a while now, but Ford had to check it multiple times a day or else he would go crazy. There was no telling what Bill would do to turn it on. So, he constantly checked on it, making sure everything was in place, turned off and harmless. It was a necessary precaution, just until Stan got there…that is, if Stan even came at all.

Unease settled in Ford’s chest at the thought, but he tried to push it aside. If Stanley didn’t come, he would…he would figure something out. Probably.

* * *

“Are you her father?”

Stan stared at the man who he had pulled aside a moment ago to ask about seeing Mabel’s brother. They had been going at it for at least an hour with no luck whatsoever – which weighed down on Stan’s chest. Not just because of his looming deadline but because he could see Mabel slowly losing heart.

Opening his mouth, Stan was about to reply that he was in no way anything close to a father - just someone trying to help - when Mabel’s words cut him off.

“No, he’s my gr-uh…uncle! Well sometimes I call him grunkle but that’s cause he’s a great uncle, not like an actual great uncle but an awesome uncle, you know?”

The words tumbled out of her mouth so quickly that Stan found himself simply staring at her for a second, trying to process exactly what she had just said.

“Huh…is that so?” The man looked at Stan, who forced a quick smile and put an arm around Mabel.

“Yup, sure is!” Okay, so it wasn’t the truth, but if he disagreed with Mabel there was no telling what kind of complications might arise and he _was_ just trying to help her. If people assumed they were related, it would get rid of any of the awkwardness surrounding the fact that he was walking around with a child he had just met. Even if he had no ill intentions toward her.

For a moment the man just looked at them then shrugged. “Sorry I haven’t seen anyone like you described, hope you find him.”

As the man walked away, Mabel sighed, slumping against Stan’s leg. “Why hasn’t anyone seen him?”

Stan patted her head, frowning as he looked around the street. “I don’t know kiddo, maybe he’s hanging out in one spot? What does he like to do?”

She opened her mouth, only to close it, a shadow of sadness passing over her face. “He likes video games, but also weird things like conspiracy theories and stuff. And reading, he likes to read too.”

As she spoke, Stan felt a small knot of emotion grow in his chest. Weird things and books? Of course he ran into the one kid who’s brother sounded just like Ford…or at least, what Ford had been like as a kid. Trying to shake off the thought, Stan looked around. “Well, we can try the library. And there might be an arcade somewhere around here?”

Despite being in this town for a few weeks, Stan hadn’t really been to the…regular spots, but he figured there would at least be a library. And seeing as arcades were getting more popular, there might be one somewhere, or at least a restaurant that had a machine or two.

“Okay…” Something about Mabel’s demeanor had changed, but Stan had no clue what had caused it, so he tried for smile.

“I’m sure we’ll find him soon.” It was a lie. Stan had no idea if they would find her brother, there was no telling what could happen, especially in a place like this. But as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he shoved it away. No, Dipper was fine and they were going to find him. End of story.

Determination settling in his chest, Stan patted Mabel’s back in assurance before setting off to find the nearest arcade.

* * *

“Here you are darling.”

Mabel looked up from the café counter at the basket of chicken strips and fries. Despite the worry weighing her down, she felt her stomach rumble and she hesitantly grabbed a strip, nibbling on it as she watched some kids playing Pac Man a few tables away. Dipper wasn’t one of them.

A hand grabbed some fries from the basket and Mabel turned to look at Stan, who was stuffing the food into his mouth. He hadn’t said anything since they ordered but from the way he kept sticking his hand in his pocket, she couldn’t help but wonder if he could actually afford the food. She sure hoped so, not only because she didn’t have any money either, but also because she didn’t like the thought of her great uncle being broke. It just wasn’t right.

“Hey, chin up kiddo, I’m sure we’ll find him soon.”

Stan gave her a smile, though she couldn’t help but wonder if it was real or forced. They had been searching for hours and there wasn’t even a sign of Dipper. She didn’t want to stop, but her knees – which hadn’t felt too bad at first - were starting to sting and ache. Also, her sweater and skirt combo wasn’t exactly the best for staying outside for long periods of time, at least, not when it was cold out.

“Find who.”

The waitress that had taken their order was back, filling up their glasses with water. Mabel opened her mouth, but found she couldn’t get the words out. That her brother was missing without a trace, that she was stuck in the past with no way home, that she didn’t even have a clue as to what she should do now. All because of a stupid fight. Sure, she loved Waddles, and she didn’t want to give him up but...she would gladly do so if it meant she could be home with Dipper right now.

“Uh, her brother. He ran off and we’ve been looking for him for a few hours now.” Stan answered the question - the half lie rolling off his tongue with well-practiced ease. At least this Stan was the same in that regard, despite being about thirty years younger than Mabel was used to.

“You check the police station? They might be able to help.”

“That’s our next stop.” Stan said it so fast, Mabel almost didn’t catch the way his hand twitched a little. She had to admit the idea of going to the police wasn’t really ideal to her either. Not only because of that night in the Gravity Falls jail during a ‘family bonding’ day, but also because she really didn’t know if they could help. Dipper might be in an entirely different year for all she knew.

Out of the corner of her eye, Mabel saw the waitress – Pam, if she was remembering the nametag right – leave only to come back a moment later and set a plate down in front of her.

“Here darling, it’s on the house.”

Sitting up, Mabel could feel her sweet tooth acting up as she took in the huge slice of apple pie that was now sitting in front of her. She looked at Stan and the unfinished chicken nuggets, but he just waved at the pie. Oh yeah, this was the Stan she knew, who let her have ice cream for breakfast on a regular basis.

The next few minutes passes by in silence – Mabel eating every crumb of the pie while Stan finished off the rest of the chicken and fries.

“So…I can take you to the police if you want…”

Mabel, who had been licking her plate to savor any last traces of ice cream, froze and lowered the plate to the table, not sure how to respond. She wanted to find Dipper but from Stan’s hesitance, and her own uncertainties about consulting the police, she was reluctant to say anything. But after a moment, she asked quietly, “Do…you think they would actually be able to help?”

“Eh,” Stan rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. “Probably. Even if they can’t find him right away, they could ask other cites and maybe even put up fliers and stuff. And they could probably get you home too.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, anxiety jumped up in Mabel’s chest. Home. The police couldn’t get her home. Heck, she didn’t even think home existed right now. Her parents might not even be born for all she knew. Stan was the only family she had right now and the thought of trusting strangers to get her to a home that wasn’t even created yet was…She shook her head.

“I don’t…” Her voice died in her throat. She couldn’t explain all of that to Stan, or at least, she wasn’t sure if she should. Or if he would even believe her if she did. And if Dipper was here, she knew he would argue that it could ruin the future if she said anything about it.

“Hey, don’t worry they uh…they’ll know what to do.”

A hand rested on Mabel’s shoulder and in any other circumstance, she would’ve agreed. But this wasn’t a normal situation. No one would believe that she was from the future, and even if they did, she doubted they could help her get home.

“Can’t I just stay with you?” It was the only option that didn’t totally terrify her. If she really was stuck in the past, she’d rather be stuck with Stan.

Stan laughed, though it was forced. “Trust me kid, you don’t want to.”

Running a hand through her hair, Mabel couldn’t look at him, because from everything she’d seen of his life that might be true, but she knew she would be safe with Stan. Even though he didn’t know her, she knew him and she knew he wouldn’t let anything happen to her. “I really do…”

Shaking his head, Stan sighed. “Come on, the car isn’t too far away. I can take you to the police station. It... it’ll be for the best.”

Stan got up before she could answer and Mabel tried to force down the panic that was rising in her chest. What could she say to convince Stan to let her stay with him? Fear and desperation raced through her as she stumbled after Stan, out of the diner and onto the street. Her chest grew tighter and tighter as emotion overwhelmed her until she couldn’t hold back a sob. If only Dipper was here, he’d know what to do, probably…at least they’d at least be together.

“Oh gosh…hey, it’s okay, kiddo.”

Mabel looked up at Stan, her eyes blurry from tears as another sob escaped her mouth. “N-no it’s not I, Dipper is g-gone and I can’t go h-home and I-I don’t know how t-to- and I just want to s-stay with y-you and-“ Her voice cut off as sobs overwhelmed her completely and she flung herself at Stan, wanting to hide away from every terrifying and overwhelming thought and just pretend she was back in Gravity Falls crying over a movie or a stupid crush.

For a moment, there was nothing. Then a sigh and arms wrapping around her. “It’s okay, I…you can stay with me for…for tonight at least, okay?”

Snuggling closer to him, Mabel managed to whisper out a thank you. It wasn’t perfect. She still didn’t know what to do, but at least she didn’t have to leave the only family she had right now.

* * *

This was a mess. Stan didn’t know what the heck he was doing. He should _not_ have caved; he should’ve driven Mabel straight to the police. It would be for the best. But her absolute trust in him – despite being totally unwarranted – was touching, if not a little worrisome. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the kid, it was just…he wasn’t even equipped to take care of himself. How could care for someone else’s needs too? He couldn’t just say no though, not when she had started crying, looking so scared and helpless. Gosh, he wished he knew what was going on so he could actually help her, but whenever he tried to bring it up, she just got quiet, so he left it.

“There, that should do it.” Tucking the bandage in itself so it wouldn’t come undone, Stan reached up and ruffled Mabel’s hair. Not long after he agreed to let her stay, he had noticed how scrapped up her knees were, and thankfully the hotel had let him have some things to patch her up. Okay maybe they hadn’t given them to him, but they didn’t exactly guard the stuff very well either…

“Thanks grun-uh, Stan…” Her voice was quiet, and her gaze was transfixed on her knees, her hands brushing over the bandages. It was such a contrast from how she had been talking his ear off a few hours ago and it worried him. But he tried not to think about it. Tomorrow she would be out of his life. It was for the best, she’d realized that. She just needed some sleep and time to think about it, that’s all.

“Uh, yeah, no prob. You should probably get some sleep now though.”

Mabel looked at the bed then up at Stan for a moment. “Where are you going to sleep?”

“Ah…” Stan rubbed his neck, sleep was just about the furthest thing from his mind right now. “Don’t worry about me kiddo, I’m not really tired anyway.”

For a moment, Mabel frowned at him. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, don’t you worry about me, kiddo.” Stan tried for a smile, which Mabel returned, though it was only a half-smile.

“Okay…” She looked at her knees one more time then slowly lied down on the bed, but her eyes stayed open. “What is a Stan Vac?”

A real laugh escaped Stan’s mouth as he looked at the boxes piled up behind him. “Ah, just a business idea. Didn’t really fly.”

“Can… can you tell me about it?”

Well that would be the strangest bedtime story ever, but if that’s what she wanted… “Sure…it all started in Virginia…” Stan recounted the story from his past – thankfully it was one of the most child friendly ones he had. Mainly just a lot of door to door campaigns and trying to fix broken machines because they were pretty poorly made. But it seemed to do the trick. Slowly Mabel’s eyes closed and as he concluded the tale, he could see her chest rising and falling slowly.

“Sweet dreams kiddo.” Stan pulled a blanket over her shoulders and glanced at the clock. Crap, he was going to be late.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to refocus himself. It was time to talk himself out of a debt. And he knew if he wanted to stand a chance at that, he needed to be on his A game, especially with Rico. Still, he couldn’t stop himself from double checking the lock on the door before he left. As long as Mabel was in his life, he was going to make sure she was safe. No matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the kind comments on the first chapter! They really mean so much to me and helped me get excited about continuing the story. I'm still working on some plot, but quite a bit has come together since the first chapter and I'm getting excited for some parts to come!  
> Speaking of which, I might change the rating of the fic to PG-13. I don't go into anything really bad, but I also don't want anyone to be surprised by more intense stuff happening? I'm still thinking about it, but if I do change it, I'll do it for the next chapter because...that one is...intense...I'm excited to share it with y'all ;p  
> Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter too! I loved getting to have both Stan and Ford have their reservations about Mabel and Dipper staying with them but ultimately not being able to turn them away. Those secret softies...  
> Oh! I also don't really have an updating schedule, I'm just writing and editing as I can, but I'll try to update as often as I can!  
> Thanks once again for reading! <33


	3. Hide and Seek

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stan gets in over his head, and Ford second guesses Dipper's intentions for the umpteenth time. Meanwhile, Mabel has the scare of a lifetime and Dipper uncovers a secret about the Shack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Tumblr Post](https://aceofstars16.tumblr.com/post/184425014053/trapped-in-the-past-chapter-3)

“So, Pinington, you got my money?”

Rico sat in his chair, looking relaxed with his feet propped up on the desk. But his eyes conveyed his calculating mind. The first time Stan had met him, he hadn’t thought much of the mob boss, but now he knew underestimating him was a big mistake. If he wanted to get out of this, he had to be smart. Luckily, he had learned quite a few tricks in that particular area over the years.

“Yes. And no. I know where to get it, but it’s not something to be rushed.” The lie slipped off of Stan’s tongue easily, though there was a knot in his stomach as he spoke. He could ignore that though, he had to if he wanted this to end well.

“That is not the correct answer.” Rico’s tone had taken on a deadly edge and Stan was glad he had brainstormed some ideas on the way over.

“What if I told you it would give you double what I owe?”

A quirked eyebrow. “I’d say you better not be pulling my leg.”

Holding up his hands, Stan grinned. “Would I lie to you?”

At that, Rico swung his legs off of the table and slammed them on the ground. In an instant he was right in front of Stan and it took all of Stan’s power not to flinch. “You already have, Pinington. I have no reason to trust your word. But maybe with a little persuasion…”

Something about Rico’s tone was different, almost humorous in a terrifyingly cold way.

“What are you getting at-” Then it struck him. Mabel. “If you touch one hair on her body, I will make sure you don’t see one penny of the money.” Stan didn’t even try to hide the growl in his voice. The thought of Rico even looking at Mabel made his blood boil. She was just a kid. A kid who was in danger now because of him. Darnit Stan, really screwed up this time.

A cruel laugh escaped Rico’s mouth and Stan couldn’t stop himself. He decked the mob boss right in his stupid face, only to freeze a second later at the sound of a gun being cocked.

“Oh Pinington, going soft, are we?” Rico stood up from when he had stumbled, a sadistic grin on his face. “Maybe I should take the girl as collateral, just until you get me my money…”

Panic gripped Stan’s chest. No, no, no, no, he could NOT let Rico near Mabel. Because he knew once you were in Rico’s grasp, there was no getting out of it. “I’ll get you your money. But if you even look at her, I will screw you over so hard you will regret it for the rest of your sorry life, got it?” Despite the overwhelming terror racing through his body, the words came out steady. Because he was not going to let anyone hurt Mabel. His mistakes were his own, he might have to pay for them one day, but Mabel deserved nothing of the sort.

A hand grasped Stan by the jaw and pulled him close, so all Stan could do was look at the bruise that was forming on Rico’s cheek. “You do not want to cross me, Pinington. Get me my money in twenty-four hours or else the girl is mine.”

For a moment, Stan just glared at Rico, wanting nothing more than to punch him again, but the pressure on his ribcage held him back. He didn’t exactly want to have a bullet rip through his body, so he resorted to simply glaring daggers at him.

Then he was flung to the ground.

“Get him out of here.”

Stan glared at Rico and didn’t stop until he was dragged away and thrown onto the concrete. Only when the door closed did worry spark in his chest. He really dug himself into a pit, but this time it wasn’t just his life on the line…No, this was not good.

* * *

In and out. Each breath echoed around Mabel like a megaphone. Her heart raced in her chest, her arms shook even as she tried to stay still, to not make a single noise.

She had woken up to the realization that Stan wasn’t in the room – a terrifying reality that had sent her calling out for him, carefully opening the door and stepping out into the cool air to see if he was outside. At first there was nothing. And then a laugh that chilled her to the bone. All she saw of the man was a shadow.

“Looks like the little brat came out of hiding…too bad your bumbling friend isn’t here. And my orders said nothing about leaving you alone.”

That’s when she had run. Back to the room and into the first hiding place she had found – a large box which was thankfully empty.

And now she was trapped. Trying to keep her position hidden as she heard the door open and the man calling out in a giddy voice.

“Oh little brat! Come out come out wherever you are! Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you…I just want to have some fun.”

Shutting her eyes tight, Mabel begged anyone, anything, to help her. Something to distract the man, so she could run away, or so he would forget about her altogether. Anything. But there was only silence, more taunting as she heard the sound of boxes being pushed aside. A whimper grew in her chest and she tried her best to hold it back, but it slipped out.

“Oh, there you are.”

Heart racing, Mabel took a deep breath, trying to steel herself to fight, to punch and jab and then run as fast as she could.

One second.

Two seconds.

Another taunt.

A finger curling around the flap above her.

Deep breath.

Thunk.

“Why don’t you pick on someone your own size.”

Stan’s voice growled, and a sob of relief escaped Mabel’s mouth. Her entire body was shaking, her mind only half taking in the grunts and yells coming from outside her box. But then a shout more intense than the others broke through her shocked state, if only for a moment.

“If you ever come back, I’ll kill you!”

The absolute venom in Stan’s voice was jarring, but also reassuring. Because Stan had saved her.

“Mabel? Kiddo, you okay?”

The flap of the box had been lifted up and she caught sight of a bruise on his face and a cut above his eye. As she took it in, she realized if Stan hadn’t gotten out unscathed, then she wouldn’t have lasted a second.

“Grunkle Stan!” Mabel flung herself at him, not even registering that she had slipped up and called him her grunkle, not even thinking about how he barely knew her. All of that seemed miniscule compared to the fact that without him, something terrible would’ve happened.

Arms wrapped around her protectively. “I’m sorry, Mabel, I never should’ve…I-I’m so sorry.”

Mabel couldn’t respond, her throat was too tight, all that came out when she tried was a whimper, which resulted in Stan hugging her tighter. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes and she buried her head in his jacket, trying to escape the absolute torrent of emotions that were racing through her mind. When she tried to tell herself that she was okay, she could practically hear the man’s voice again and she clung to Stan even tighter.

Then a hand started running through her hair, over and over again. Followed by Stan’s quiet reassurances. “I’ve got you now, you’re safe. I’ve got you.”

Squeezing her eyes even tighter, Mabel tried to listen to Stan, to believe it. But it didn’t feel all right. She wasn’t supposed to be here, she was supposed to be in Gravity Falls, hanging out with Dipper, having a fun summer. Not…not this.

A vibrating shook Mabel out of her shock and a second later she realized that it was coming from Stan’s chest. He was…humming. She couldn’t tell what song it was, - though occasionally an indiscernible word would escape his mouth - but it was something grounding, something for her to focus on. Minutes ticked by and slowly, Mabel found herself relaxing. Her body stopped its violent shaking, tears dried on her cheeks, her heart slowed to a normal speed. And as it all eased, she realized how exhausted she was, as if she had run for miles. Sleeping was the last thing she wanted to do, but with Stan right there maybe…maybe she could close her eyes, just for a second.

* * *

The first thing Dipper noticed was how much his body hurt. Not from scratches or bruises though, no it was his muscles that were aching. Groaning, he blinked his eyes open, frowning at the unfamiliar roof above him. It wasn’t the attic. Had he fallen asleep in the parlor or- oh…right. The accident. Meeting the author. Looking for Mabel. It all came back to him and as it did so, despair washed over him. Mabel was still out there somewhere, but…would he ever find her?

With a sigh, Dipper turned his head and looked at the messy room, which was now considerably warmer than it was the first time he had entered it. There was no sign of Ford anywhere, which Dipper found disconcerting, because despite admiring the author, he did seem a little paranoid. Not to mention the fact that having someone else around reminded him that he wasn’t totally alone. But right now, alone is exactly what he felt.

Sitting up, he looked around before calling out. “Ford?”

No answer. Frowning, Dipper forced his muscles to move as he stood up and walked towards the kitchen.

“Ford?” He called out again.

Nothing.

Dipper walked all throughout the downstairs rooms, looking for any sign of Ford, but the house was eerily quiet. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, he couldn’t help but notice how they looked so different than he was used to. Sure, the overall appearance was the same, but there was a sheen on the steps, and the wood wasn’t drooping in the middle. That dent that him and Mabel had accidentally created while sliding down the steps on a cardboard strip was absent. And as he made his was up them, there was no familiar creak on the third step from the top.

Despite knowing that the likelihood of Ford being in the attic was low, Dipper couldn’t stop himself from stepping up to the door. For a moment he just looked at the handle, then he turned it.

Boxes. It was all he saw. That and papers, so many papers. Along with a lot of inventions that seemed to be discarded for one reason or another. Making his way through the mess, Dipper wondered where all of this had gone. Maybe Ford had left and taken it all with him? Or maybe Stan had stored it somewhere?

Stopping in the middle of the hoard, Dipper sat down and closed his eyes. Trying to imagine he wasn’t stuck in 1980 something, that instead, he was sitting on the floor while Mabel worked on her sticker collection. For a moment, it worked. The smell of the wood was almost the same, and the lack of splinters was different, but that one was a welcome difference. But then the winter wind blew against the window and a shiver ran up his spine. Once again, he was faced with the reality of his situation.

With a sigh, Dipper opened his eyes and looked around again. Part of him wanted to explore everything about this place. Who knew what kind of things he could find in this mess? But the other part of him was worried how Ford might react if he found him up here. And then his stomach growled.

Man, when was the last time he ate?

“I can always come back later…” Dipper said to himself, before scrambling to his feet and making his way back down the stairs.

“Ford?”

Still nothing, despite it being a good thirty minutes since he had woken up. Dipper frowned. Maybe Ford was outside?

“Nope.” As soon as he opened the door, Dipper was met with a chilly wind. And in the brief glimpse he saw of outside, all he could see was snow - it was obscuring every inch of the landscape. As he closed the door, he sighed. It might not be a terrible blizzard but no one would willingly go out in that.

Shaking his head, Dipper walked around the house again, not sure what he was supposed to do, especially when he didn’t see any sign of food in the kitchen – at least not in any of the places Stan normally kept food. Maybe he’d just have to wait it out. Ford had to show up at some point, right?

Then he saw it. Something that wasn’t quite right. Where the vending machine in the Mystery Shack had been was a bookshelf, but it wasn’t flat up against the wall. There was a crack behind it and it looked like there was something behind it?

Grabbing the bookshelf and pulling back as hard as he could, the crack grew bigger until it was large enough for him see that there was an entire room hidden behind it. Slipping through the gap, Dipper walked through the small hallway, down a set of stairs and was met with, an elevator?

“W…what?!?” Dipper stared at it, and the hallway. Had this been in the Shack the entire time? How in the world…? For a moment, he just tried to accept the fact that this must have been here the entire time he had been in Gravity Falls. But then another question grew in his mind. Where did it go?

Stepping inside, Dipper looked at the buttons, there were three. He tried the second one. For a moment, there was nothing, then the doors closed and it started descending, only to stop and open up to a door. A door with a keyhole in the middle. Reaching out, Dipper tried the handle, but it was locked.

“So much for that…” Despite the confusion that was racing through his mind, Dipper couldn’t help but also feel a hint of anticipation. Maybe he’d find some answers about Gravity Falls down here, or why Stan had a brother he never told him about.

Looking back at the buttons, Dipper pressed the bottom one. The door closed and as it lowered, excitement grew in his chest, but it was met with a hint of fear. There was no telling what was down here.

With a clatter, the elevator hit the bottom and the door opened, revealing a room of sorts. It almost looked like a lab. There were levers and machines taking up the entire space.

In awe, Dipper stepped forward, trying to take it all in. What in the word was all this stuff? Then he saw a window, and through it a large cavern. And in the middle was a…triangle? A huge triangle type structure with a circle in the middle. And as he looked at it, Dipper could swear something about it looked familiar…

“What are you doing down here?!?”

Ford’s voice echoed around the room and it was only then that Dipper saw the author, who had been half in shadows, sitting at a desk in the corner of the room. But now he was stalking forward, his eyes narrowed to slits.

“I-I, I was looking for you and I-I saw the bookshelf and there was a door behind it? And I-“

“You expect me to believe that?” Ford hissed, and Dipper found himself stumbling backward. He didn’t know Ford very well, but he thought maybe his hero wasn’t as bad as he first seemed. Now he wasn’t so sure.

“I-It’s the truth, I just, I didn’t know about the room and I just wanted to see what it was and-“ Dipper couldn’t get his thoughts out coherently, mostly because he was still trying to process it all and he wasn’t entirely sure what he thought of this hidden basement either.

“Get out, now!”

“But, what is-“

“NOW!”

Stumbling back into the elevator, Dipper quickly pressed the button, his heart racing as the door closed. The entire ride back to ground level took forever, or at least it seemed like it to him. As soon as the door slid open, he raced back out into what he knew as the gift shop, adrenaline and fear still racing through his body.

He half expected Ford to show up a second later telling him to leave the house all together, but there were no footsteps following him as he quickly made his way back up into the attic. He didn’t care if it was cold, it was the only place he could think of that might offer him some solace. And it would give him some space to think.

Sitting down on the wooden floor, Dipper took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves and figure out what had just happened. Maybe the basement was supposed to be a secret or something? And maybe Ford didn’t like anyone going down there? That could be why Stan never seemed to mention it. Maybe he didn’t know about it either?

Closing his eyes for a second, Dipper tried to accept that Ford was just…very protective of whatever was down there. And it wasn’t like he knew Dipper that well, so he wouldn’t know what Dipper would think of it. Or what he might do with it. Even though he was more curious than anything.

The reasoning worked. Dipper’s heart slowed, his adrenaline died down, and all he was left with was a nagging feeling that he had seen something like the machine before. Maybe in the…journal!

Pulling the book out of his vest, Dipper quickly thumbed through the pages, not quite sure what he was looking for. Then he saw it. The page that looked like some sort of machine, but only part of it. And there in the corner was the edge of what looked like a triangle with a circle in the middle. It still didn’t answer the question of what it was though. He hadn’t been able to crack the code on the page and some of the pages beforehand were either torn or missing.

Flipping the journal a few more pages, he looked at his own additions to the book. Finding the next blank page and pulling out a pen from his vest, he started writing down everything that had happened. He found that writing things down sometimes helped him process them better than just thinking. Maybe it would help him figure out what the heck he was supposed to do now?

* * *

“How could I have been so stupid!” Ford mumbled to himself after the elevator had closed. Bringing in a child that he knew nothing about? And now Dipper knew were the portal was! The kid could easily come back down again. He should’ve just shut the door when Dipper had shown up on his porch. As soon as the thought crossed his mind though, Ford felt a stab of shame in his chest. Leave a kid out in the cold? No…he should’ve called the police or something. Made sure Dipper was taken care of so he could worry about his own problems, not add another one on top of them.

Well, maybe he still could. He could just take Dipper into town. There had to be someone that would look after a kid and- no, that was idiotic. First, Ford didn’t have a car and it was freezing out so walking wasn’t really an option unless he wanted frostbite. Then there was the fact that Dipper claimed to be from a different time. That fell smack dab in the middle of Ford’s expertise. No one else would be able to get the kid home. Then again, in his current state, Ford wasn’t sure he had much of a shot at figuring out time travel but…

“Agh!” Ford yelled, banging the wall. He couldn’t deal with all of this right now. His mind felt like it was being pulled apart and his body had practically no energy. Of course everything just had to crumble when he had no one to turn to. Well, maybe one person. But so far that hadn’t gotten anywhere. Though, with this weather and the distance maybe the postcard hadn’t even made it to Stan yet. Or maybe the address Ma had wasn’t up to date. Or Stan might just ignore his request… There were too many uncertainties. Ford couldn’t lay all of his hopes on Stan showing up. Besides, he doubted Stan would know what to do with Dipper either…though at least then someone could keep an eye on the kid while he tried to figure out what to do.

Running a hand down his face, Ford sighed, trying to figure out what the heck he was supposed to do. With a glance at the room, he saw that everything was still in place. There wasn’t much more he could do down here, plus the voices were always louder near the portal and he was pretty sure they’d drive him crazy if he stayed here any longer.

The ride to ground level was as quiet as it could be, and Ford tried to figure out what he was going to say to Dipper. He wasn’t going to apologize; he hadn’t done anything wrong. It was Dipper who had stuck his nose where it didn’t belong, not him. Then again…the kid had looked quite scared. Maybe he would just warn him never to go down there again and then…

Swish. The door slid open and interrupted his thoughts. Sighing, Ford stepped out and made his way back to the front room, but there was no sign of Dipper. Okay, so maybe he had some more time to brainstorm what to do.

But as he walked around the house, Ford found that instead of thinking about what to say Dipper, he was starting to simply wonder where the kid was.

“Dipper?” Ford called out his name, but there was no response except a quiet laughing that was either in his head or the result of the wind outside.

Wait, outside? Surely Dipper would’ve have… Stumbling towards the door, Ford flung it open, only to be met with a gust of wind and snow.

“Dipper?!?” His voice didn’t carry at all in the storm, and he could barely see anything beyond the porch. There was no sign of footprints but with this wind they would have already blown away.

Oh goodness, if Dipper had run off in that…and all because Ford had yelled at him.

“Idiot.” Ford muttered to himself, while also reminding himself that he still needed to be careful. He couldn’t let his guard down but…that blizzard was in no way safe for anyone to be out in, especially not a kid.

Keep looking inside. That was the only thing that could calm Ford’s worries. Maybe Dipper had explored the house. Yes, that was probably what had happened. Trying to push away the nagging worry and guilt in his chest, Ford shut the door and made his way to the stairs. If the kid had explored the basement, it only seemed fair that he might explore the attic too.

As he opened the door, Ford was met with a mess he had totally forgotten about. Most of the papers had to do with studying Gravity Falls or uncomplete calculations. But a lot of the boxes contained things he didn’t like thinking about. Trinkets Ma sent him, old scrapbooks of when he was a kid, even a few film rolls. Anything that he didn’t want to be reminded of had been banished to the attic. And now he was looking at all of it again.

Trying not to pay attention to any of memorabilia, he stepped around a boxes and unused furniture, only stopping when he saw Dipper sitting on the floor, his head buried in a book. A really old book by the look of it, Ford wondered what it-

All thought died as Dipper readjusted the book and Ford caught sight of a six fingered hand on it.

“Where did you get that?!?”

Dipper jumped at his voice and the pen in his hand fell to the floor. Fumbling with the book, he brought it close to his chest. “I-I found it, in-in the woods.”

“Found it?” Ford felt the pocket in his coat where he had been keeping his remaining journal safe, only to freeze when he felt it. And then he saw the 3 scratched on the book in Dipper’s hand. “I put a secure mechanized lock in that tree. How did you-“

“In the future! It- I guess it malfunctioned or something, but I was hammering up signs for gru-uh…someone and I hit the metal tree and found it. And I uh…started reading it and the author, uh…you seemed to be the only person who actually noticed all of the strange things in Gravity Falls too.”

Dipper spoke so fast that Ford could barely understand what he was saying. Sometimes talking fast was a sign of lying but…not likely, unless someone was trained at it. “Let me see.” Ford held out his hand, knowing full well that if this was his journal from the future then it might be a little more worn. And as he accepted it from Dipper, he realized right away that it did feel different… And it certainly didn’t smell the greatest. It was possible that it had picked up some odd smells in the week it had been hidden, but that seemed unlikely.

Flipping through it, Ford noticed how the pages seemed to be older and more crinkled. And there were more stains in it than he remembered. Then he reached the end of what he had written and it flipped open to reveal a page covered in blue ink and sketches. What the…?

“You wrote it in my journal?” Ford couldn’t keep the annoyance out of his voice. This was his journal and Dipper had just…taken it as his own?!?

“I uh…I wanted to keep track of everything I saw and I thought since the journal already had so many notes in it, I could add my own…”

Ford frowned at the pages, not really happy with someone writing in his journal. But at the same time, he couldn’t help but remember when he was a kid and how he had taken notes all the time. Sometimes using paper that didn’t exactly belong to him.

“Sorry…”

As he looked up, Ford saw Dipper hugging his arms and he felt a small stab of annoyance, though he wasn’t sure if it was at Dipper or himself. At this point rationalizing was becoming harder than it should be. Shaking his head, he sighed.

“It…it’s fine.” Was is really fine? Honestly, Ford wasn’t sure, but right now he didn’t think yelling would help. That and he didn’t really have the energy to yell about it or dwell on it.

Then he heard a rumbling sound and saw Dipper looking at him in embarrassment.

Food. Right. That might be a good idea - for Dipper and himself. It would give him some well needed energy. Though he’d have to be careful to not eat too much or sit still too long. Food had a way of lulling anyone to sleep and he couldn’t let that happen to him. Not now.

“Come on, I think we could both use some sustenance, and maybe…” Ford looked at the book in his hands, before handing it back to Dipper. “We can discuss this a little more.”

“R-really?” The excitement on the kid’s face was slightly amusing and Ford felt the smallest smile trying to sneak its way onto his face.

“Really.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay for intense chapters! This one was fun to write, though a bit feelsy too...I'm really mean to Mabel and Dipper in this one, aren't I?  
> I wanted to post this sooner but working on the next chapter and some other fic ideas kind of bit into my editing time, but better late than never, right? *flops because I'm really tired*  
> I know I wanted to say more about this chapter but I am totally blanking??? Thank you guys for reading and for all the nice comments, they mean the world to me!  
> Oh, I also started a [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/Aceofstars) account with sketches and WIPs (I may or may not post WIPs of this fic on there...it's a high possibility ;) )  
> Thanks once again, see y'all next update! :D


	4. Questions and...answers?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mabel finds out some things about Stan that she never knew before, and Dipper shares his adventures with Ford, but questions only abound as time goes on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Tumblr post](https://aceofstars16.tumblr.com/post/184633321428/trapped-in-the-past-chapter-4)

How could he have let this happen? That was the only thing Stan could think as he looked at Mabel, who had fallen asleep in his arms – which touched him far more than he would ever admit. The thought of saying goodbye to her was becoming more and more difficult. But he needed to. She was not safe with him. If she hadn’t been with him then Rico’s goon wouldn’t have shown up…

Just the thought of the man sent a pulse of anger through Stan’s body. He should’ve gotten a few more punches in. If any person thought threatening a child was okay…

A soft whimper interrupted his thoughts and Stan ran a ran through Mabel’s hair, trying to calm her – as he had done every time she had made a distressed sound. Which seemed to be happening in her sleep now.

“It’s alright kiddo, I got you.”

After a moment, she seemed to calm down again and Stan sighed, leaning against the side of the bed once again. Realistically, he probably should move her to the bed - especially because his back wasn’t entirely happy with his current position – but he didn’t want to accidentally wake her up, so he stayed put.

Then there was a knock at the door.

Stan froze, quickly looking around. If it was one of Rico’s men again…He caught sight of his bat and took a breath. Hide Mabel, grab the bat, open the door. The plan came to him right away, but then something caught his eye. A slip of paper had been shoved under the door.

Anxiety grew in his chest as he readjusted Mabel so he could reach out his foot and pull the paper towards him. It could be any number of things. A note changing the requirements of Rico’s payment, a threat, or something else that would spell out danger for him or Mabel…But it wasn’t anything of the sort. It was, a postcard?

Picking it up, he frowned at the picture. Gravity Falls. Where the heck was that? And who would be sending him a postcard of all things?

Then he turned it around.

_Please come_. Written in all caps, and signed by…

“Ford…”

Stan stared at the words. Handwriting he hadn’t seen in years. From a brother that he thought had long forgotten about him – though he had never forgotten about Ford.

A million thoughts raced through Stan’s mind. Why now? What would possibly prompt Ford to reach out to him after over ten years with no contact whatsoever? And with such a sort message. As the questions raced through his mind, a feeling of dread grew. Whatever it was…it couldn’t be good. But then again, Stan wasn’t exactly in a very good position either. His eyes flicked to the address it had come from. Gravity Falls, Oregon. Well that would probably be far enough away from Rico…and he wasn’t banned from there yet. Plus, despite everything, Stan knew he couldn’t say no. Even if Ford didn’t care about him anymore well…Stan still cared about him. He was his brother after all, and once upon a time they had been best friends.

As the memory crossed his mind, Stan felt a stab of despair. Every time he thought of Ford, it hurt. He had never wanted to lose his twin, he had never meant to hurt him, to break that stupid machine. But he had. Because he was a screw up. And look where that had landed him. In a small town trying to pay off an insurmountable debt while also figuring out what to do with a lost little girl. Yeah, not exactly how he imagined his life would be.

“What…where…oh…”

Mabel’s quiet mumblings snapped Stan out of his memories and he quickly shoved the postcard under the bed. He didn’t need to get Mabel involved with all of that. But he did need to figure out what to do now…and there really only seemed to be one option.

“You doing okay, kiddo?”

There was silence for a moment, and Stan thought maybe she had just spoken in her sleep, but then there was a quiet hum, though he couldn’t tell if it was a yes or a no.

“Don’t worry, they aren’t coming back any time soon.” A half truth. Stan didn’t know when Rico might send someone else, but by then Mabel would be safe and he would be long gone.

“But uh…I think the police might be better at keeping you safe from them…and getting you home.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt Mabel stiffen. So much for her softening on the idea of getting help from the authorities.

“Come on, Mabel, I…I can’t take care of you and…they’ll know what to do.”

For a moment, there was nothing, then in a quiet voice. “But I don’t know them.”

Stan opened his mouth, about to argue the point that she didn’t know him either, but she cut him off.

“I just want to stay with you.”

Gosh, why in the world did she trust him so much? He did nothing to deserve this, and she deserved so much better.

“You don’t want to go home?” It was the first thing he could think of, because he knew if he could’ve gone home all those years ago…well…maybe he wouldn’t have. But that was because he hadn’t really had a choice. If Pa hadn’t sent him out, hadn’t forbidden him to come home again…he might’ve found his way back to the pawn shop again. Maybe.

Silence, then a quiet, “I don’t-I don’t know if I _can_ get home.”

At that, Stan just looked at her, curled up in his lap, her face hidden in his sweater. He had been kicked out when he was seventeen…surely no one would kick an actual _child_ out of a house? But as he thought about it, he felt a knot growing in his chest, because he wasn’t naïve. He didn’t like to believe it, but he knew there were people out there that would do exactly that. After all, some might even say seventeen was still a child too.

But then another thought crossed his mind. If she had been kicked out, what about… “What about your brother?”

Mabel snuggled closer to him, and he sighed. Well so much for-

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to find him…and if…if I-“ Her voice caught and Stan realized she was crying. Oh gosh he had made her cry, again.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.” Stan tried putting as much belief into the statement as he could – despite not believing it in the slightest. Things hadn’t been okay for him in forever. But Mabel deserved better than that. “We’ll find him, just…I…this town isn’t a very good place for me anymore and if your brother is here I…you can’t leave your brother kiddo.” _Not like I did._ Stan stopped himself from saying that thought aloud. He only left because he had to but it was hard not to wonder what might’ve been if he had done something different.

She didn’t reply, in fact it sounded like she was crying even harder. Man, he was bad at this.

“Tell you what. I’ll go with you to the police and you can see how you feel after meeting them. Sound good?”

Seconds passed and the only response he got was her curling up into an even tighter ball. Great, just great…

Minutes ticked by and Stan just sat there, exhaustion creeping up on him, but he tried to ignore it. He needed a plan, and not a nap – okay maybe he needed a nap but he didn’t have time for one. Finally, despite the weight in his chest, he knew what he needed to do. Get Mabel to the police – people who could actually help her – and then get the heck out of there.

Letting out a breath, he patted Mabel’s hair. “Uh, you wanna help me get some of these boxes into the car?”

At that she actually looked up, and the tearstains on her face broke his heart. How we he gonna walk away if she started crying again? No, he had to. For her sake.

“All of them?”

Looking up, Stan frowned at the boxes. He really did have quite a few. He might’ve had most of them in the car at some point but he really didn’t want to try to figure out how to organize it all again. Besides, most of his products were broken and useless, no need to drag them along with him.

“Nah, just a few of them. Come on, you can help me figure out what to keep.”

The next few minutes were unexpectedly enjoyable. Mabel seemed to love all of his…innovations, especially the names. She even convinced him to keep a Stan Vac. He was pretty sure it was just because of the story he had told her, but hey, it might come in handy? If it worked.

But all too soon it was over. Stan sighed as he placed the last box in the trunk. Then he made his way to the front of the car and crawled into the driver’s seat.

Mabel was sitting on the passenger’s side, the broken tape measure on her lap.

“So…is that special?” He asked as he turned the car on and pulled out of the parking lot, trying to be as discreet as possible because he may have ‘forgotten’ to pay for the past few days at the motel.

For a moment, she just looked at the pieces, then sighed. “Not anymore…”

Well, okay then…that wasn’t really a straight answer. And he couldn’t think of any way to respond. He tried to tell himself it was because he was planning what to do, but in reality, he knew it was because the sadness in his chest was growing. Mabel deserved better than his life but…he would be lying if he said it hadn’t been nice to have a friend again.

The police station came into view and his chest grew tighter and tighter. But the weigh changed to anger and a hint of fear when he caught sight of something, or really, someone.

One of Rico’s men. Walking down the street, looking as innocent as any other person, but Stan knew who he was. And if he saw Mabel go into the police station…

Glancing at the building again, Stan reasoned that it probably only had ten staff, tops. That was nothing compared to Rico’s gang. Then another thought crossed his mind. What if the police were in Rico’s pocket?

Crap.

“Stan…I…we aren’t going to the police, right?”

Letting out a breath, Stan turned on his blinker and turned onto a street – one that headed out of town. “Nope, we’re getting out of here.”

Maybe it was stupid, maybe it was selfish. But Stan didn’t trust Dead End Flatts. Not its gang, not its police. So heck if he was going to leave Mabel there. He’d find another town and get help from their police or…something. And if her brother was still in that dump then they could help her find him. Hopefully.

* * *

Mabel watched as Stan fiddled with the gas pump, eyes flicking to snacks they had gotten at the station shop to fill in as breakfast. She was hungry, but she didn’t really have much of an appetite. Despite Stan letting her come along with him, she couldn’t help but fear that he wouldn’t let her tag along forever. Sooner or later he would insist she go home. And she would have to tell him that she was from the future or…figure something else out. Neither option seemed that great, if she was being honest with herself.

Sighing, she opened the bag of chips and stuck one in her mouth before setting it on the arm rest, wanting to make sure Stan could reach them when he came back in the car. As she did so, something caught her eye. A piece of paper sticking out from inside the arm rest compartment. It was probably just something from Stan’s businesses, but curiosity egged her on and she carefully pulled it out of the crevice, only to freeze when she saw the logo on the front.

A familiar sign for a familiar town. Gravity Falls. If there was anything that could get her home, Gravity Falls would have it. Maybe there was a time traveling wizard or maybe that time travel guy would show up there. Even as the thought crossed her mind, Mabel realized that still didn’t help her find Dipper, and she couldn’t just leave him stranded…But she didn’t really have many options either.

Flipping the postcard over, Mabel’s eyes were immediately drawn to the large printed letters. _Please Come._ Something about the handwriting looked almost familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it. Then her eyes flicked to the addresses. _Stanford Pines, Gopher Road_. That was where the Mystery Shack was, right? That would make sense except…if Stanford was sending it…then…She looked at who it was addressed to. _Stanley Pines._ Who…who was Stanley? It didn’t make any sense. She knew the Stan she was with - he was her great uncle. There was no other way it could be anyone but him. So why was this letter from a Stanford. If Stan wasn’t Stanford then…why did he have that name in the present?

The driver’s door opening shook Mabel out of her thoughts and she looked up quickly, still trying to figure out what the heck this postcard meant.

“Alright let’s get out of-“ Stan stopped mid-sentence, looking at the letter in her hand. “What are you doing with that?”

Mabel didn’t even try to stop him from taking it out of her hand, nor did she really catch the frown that grew on his face for a moment as he shoved it in his pocket.

“I…sorry, I just…I don’t want you to get caught up in…all of that.” Stan waved his hand as he spoke, and a long sigh escaped his mouth.

“Who…who is Stanford?” It was the first thing she could think of to ask, even though she didn’t know if it would really clear anything up or not.

Closing his eyes for a moment, Stan sighed. “My brother.”

“You have a brother?!?” Maybe it was obvious, what with the same last names, but Mabel had never heard of Stan having another brother besides Shermie. And the thought of having another great uncle was kind of exciting.

“Uh…yeah…two actually.” Stan rubbed the back of his head before putting the car into gear and zooming out of the gas station.

“W-what is he like?” Mabel couldn’t help but want to know more about this mystery brother.

“I haven’t seen him for a while so…” He shrugged, then let out a sigh.

That wasn’t what she was expecting. And just the mention of brothers created small knot of fear in her stomach. What if she never saw Dipper again? Trying to swallow down that thought, Mabel couldn’t help but ask, “When…when was the last time you saw him?”

“Eh…I’ve lost count…it’s not…important.” A long pause then. “You hungry?” It was an abrupt subject change as he grabbed the chip bag and offered it to her.

Mabel picked out a chip but didn’t put it in her mouth, instead she turned it around in her hand, glancing up at Stan. It was clear there was something going on with his brother, which might explain why she had never heard of him having another brother. She wanted to asked more but…Stan was clearly trying to avoid it. Still…

“I want to meet him.”

The car swerved for a moment and Mabel quickly grabbed the side of the car, her chip being crushed in the process.

“I don’t…I don’t think that’s a good idea, kiddo.”

That didn’t sound good. But still…”Why not?”

“I-it’s complicated. Trust me, it will be better if I just take you home.”

Take her home? That sounded all fine and dandy except for the fact that she didn’t have a home in this decade. This car was probably the closest thing to a home she had unless he took her to Grandpa Shermie but…that would require her to admit that she was from the future. Maybe it would be fine if she did, it sure would make things easier. But she could practically picture Dipper shaking his head vigorously at the idea.

Then the beginnings of a plan started forming in her mind. A half lie that…could work. Or at least one that might convince Stan to let her go to Gravity Falls with him. If that’s where he even was going…

“You’re going to see him though…right?”

Stan kept his eyes on the road, but she could see the hint of a shadow pass over his face. “He asked so…yeah…”

“Well…I…” Mabel trailed off, trying to figure out the best way to phrase it, and hoping it didn’t sound too made up. Even though it wasn’t entirely a lie. “I actually have family up there, in Gravity Falls. And they would actually be home, unlike my parents who are on a trip, so…”

The brakes screeched as Stan slammed on them, swearing to the side of the road before looking at Mabel with utter bewilderment etched on his face. “You’re telling me, you’ve been to a small town that I’ve never heard of before and you also just so happen to have family there too?”

He didn’t believe her. Crap. Confidence, that’s what she needed. Stan always said confidence was key in lying. “Yup, my great uncle lives up there. It’s a small town but surprisingly entertaining. Dipper loves it cause it’s so weird.” Okay so that was the entire truth. Just, excluding the fact that the Gravity Falls she knew was about thirty years older and the great uncle she was talking about was Stan himself.

“And you’d rather go there, then home?”

Mabel nodded, not even pretending to lie, because it was true. She knew Gravity Falls. Sure, maybe it would be different than she was used to but she doubted it would’ve changed _that_ much. At least not compared to Piedmont.

Running a hand down his face, Stan sighed and leaned back against the driver’s seat. After a moment, he glanced at Mabel, who gave him her biggest smile.

With a groan, he straightened up and pulled the car back onto the road. “Gravity Falls it is then.”

* * *

“And then Mabel used the leaf blower to shoot him into all the other gnomes!” Dipper pointed to the sketch he had doodled in the Journal, looking up excitedly to see what Ford thought.

There was a thoughtful smile on his face. “Leaf blowers…never thought of that. Clever. I’ll have to remember that.”

A grin grew on Dipper’s face at that, only to fall a moment later as he realized that Mabel was still missing. “It was Mabel’s idea…”

“Ah…right…I’m sure she’s fine…Once the weather calms down a little, maybe we can look some more.” As he spoke, Ford walked over from the stove, holding two bowls of soup. He set one down in front of Dipper before sitting down with the other.

Dipper glanced out the window, wishing the snow would just melt so he could find Mabel. But he wasn’t exactly dressed for the weather and even the thought of snow sent a shiver down his back. Almost freezing yesterday hadn’t really been fun, and he wasn’t keen on doing it again. But if it meant finding Mabel, he would gladly do so.

“What else have you learned?”

Ford’s words brought Dipper’s mind back to the table, and the growling of his stomach. Taking a bite of the soup – which he regretted as it was a little too hot – he flipped to the next page, excitement warring with his worry for Mabel. But as he spoke, his enthusiasm won, if only momentarily. “Oh yeah! So, we went to the lake and this old guy came running, screaming about a Gobblewonker and of course I wanted to get evidence of it. But then we found out that the Gobblewonker was a machine made by Old Man McGucket himself!”

Looking up at Ford, Dipper’s grin froze. Because Ford was staring at the picture of McGucket, shock lining his face. Biting his lip, Dipper glanced at the picture for a moment, not sure what to say.

“Umm…a few days after that we had to fight some wax figures that came to life, like Evening at the Cursed Gallery, but more…terrifying.”

“Evening at the Cursed Gallery?” Ford still looked dazed but he seemed to be trying to hide that fact as he asked about the movie, his eyes narrowing in confusion.

“Oh…right…it’s uh, movie. Doesn’t come out for a while…Um…but we stopped them with hot objects cause they were made of wax.”

A hum was Ford’s only response and Dipper felt his excitement wavering a little. What was it about the Gobblewonker that had shaken Ford so much? Taking another bite of soup, Dipper found himself flipping to one of his most recent entries.

After swallowing, he pointed to the picture. “Mabel also figured out that the real founder of Gravity Falls was Quentin Trembley, eighth and a half president of the United States. Turns out he is just as silly as her. He froze himself in peanut brittle for a over a hundred years.”

“Peanut brittle? That-“ Ford trailed off before closing his mouth, the frown on his face easing as he shrugged. “Why not?”

“We tried playing a prank on Soos, uh, one of our friends, because he _tried_ to encase himself in peanut brittle to see what the future was like but…he figured out it wasn’t the future pretty quickly.” As soon as he said it, Dipper felt a wave of sorrow. If only this was just a prank. Granted, meeting the author was great and all but…it wasn’t exactly what he was expecting. Especially with Mabel being lost.

“The future…right…”

And once again, Ford seemed to be lost in thought, uncertainty etched on his face.

Dipper absently flipped through the few other adventures he had written about, but as he did so, he felt the pull on his gut tighten. Mabel had been there with him for almost every crazy thing, she had even written in the journal herself. But she wasn’t here now.

Glancing out the window again, Dipper frowned as he saw the snow was still falling. Gosh why did it have to be winter?

With a sigh, he looked back at Ford, who didn’t seem to have moved an inch. Man, he really looked tired…what was with that? Did it have to do with the machine down in the basement?

Just the thought of the machine had Dipper flipping through the journal again until he found the page with the blueprints. Ford still didn’t seem focused on him, but this might be the best chance he ever got.

“Um…Ford?”

“Hm?” The distant look cleared and Ford focused on Dipper again.

“I…I was wondering what this page is about…” Despite wanting to know about the machine, Dipper didn’t really want to actually mention the basement, not after Ford’s reaction to him being down there.

Ford’s eyes narrowed and he frowned at Dipper, then sighed. “It’s complicated…and dangerous in the wrong hands…which is why you are not to go to the basement again, understood?”

Well that wasn’t exactly the answer he was hoping for, but he didn’t really want to press it. Despite the fact that Ford was pretty much telling him he didn’t trust him. Granted he didn’t _really_ know Dipper, but, it still hurt a little. “…okay…”

Ford nodded. “Good.”

Silence settled over the table and Dipper forced himself to focus on his food, though his appetite seemed to have vanished. He tried scraping together something to talk about, but all of the questions he had about Gravity Falls seemed to have vanished now that he actually had the opportunity to ask them.

However, one came to mind as he took his last bite of soup.

“Can I ask…?”

Ford looked at Dipper and raised an eyebrow, which he assumed meant he could continue.

“Why is Gravity Falls so weird? I mean, I always thought there were supernatural things out there but in Gravity Falls there are so many. Do...do you know why?”

A small frown grew on Ford’s face and he sighed. “That’s the exact thing I’ve been trying to figure out but…it’s more…elusive then I had previously thought…”

“Oh…”

Picking up his half-eaten soup, Ford grabbed Dipper’s bowl and dropped both in the sink. “You should probably get some more rest.”

“Uh…I’m not really tired…” Dipper glanced outside, which still had signs of light, though it was fading a little. It was also winter which meant it probably wasn’t much past three, if even that.

“Sleep is important.” There was an edge to Ford’s voice that was quite unsettling, and Dipper felt a small spark of fear. Normally he would argue his point but after everything in the basement…maybe he could just write some more or something?

“And I wouldn’t mind taking a look at my journal, just for…research.”

So much for that. “Ummm, okay?”

Ford picked up the journal and waved at Dipper, as if shooing him away. “Go on now. The blankets are still on the couch, right?”

“…yeah…” Dipper couldn’t muster up any excitement at being banished to the front room, again. But he complied. For now. If Ford went down to the basement again, maybe he could explore more. Or he could check out the boxes in the attic. Maybe Ford wouldn’t tell him what was going on, and maybe the basement was off limits but, there had to be some answers somewhere, and the attic seemed like the best bet. All he had to do was wait.

* * *

What in the world happened in the future? The question kept playing over and over again in Ford’s mind as he flipped through his journal - though he kept coming back to the page with Fiddleford. The last time he had seen his old friend, he hadn’t looked…amazing, but this was something different all together. What could’ve caused so much change? Obviously time played into it but…the way Dipper had talked about him eluded to something worse.

Ford couldn’t help but wonder if it was his fault. Because he hadn’t listened to Fiddleford’s warnings about the portal. He had been so caught up in his own plans that he didn’t stop to consider what might happen if they didn’t play out like he hoped they would. And now he didn’t even know where his friend was – though he doubted if Fiddleford would even consider him a friend anymore.

Shaking his head, Ford tried pushing aside that thought. After all, it didn’t seem to be helping his guilt any, and he couldn’t quite seem to muster up enough mental energy to process his feelings anyway.

Skimming through Dipper’s notes, something else caught Ford’s eye and he froze.

_Great Uncle Stan._

Reading it again, Ford shook his head. If Stan was Dipper’s great uncle than that meant…he was too. It meant that Dipper was related to him. And yet, somehow, he didn’t seem to know anything about Ford. Well, maybe that wasn’t entirely unbelievable. Ford wasn’t the best at keeping in touch with his family. Then again, Stan was even less connected. So why would Dipper know about Stan but not him?

It was too much. Ford didn’t have the energy for this. The few sips of soup he had managed to eat seemed to be making him even more lethargic than before. And trying to puzzle together the future was only making him confused, which increased his mental exhaustion. He needed to do something that would wake him up.

Pulling out his first journal, he started flipping through it, looking for a blank space he hadn’t written in yet. Maybe if he wrote down his current situation it would help him figure out a solution. That had worked in the past. Or at least, somewhat. Plus, it was the only thing he would come up with at the moment.

So, he started writing. About Dipper and the strange and suspicious timing of his arrival. About Stan and the probability of him coming or not. About all of the sneak peaks of the future that he had seen, and what they could possibly mean. And if he could stop them…or if he should stop them.

Time ticked by and Ford’s mind was so caught up in what he was writing that he didn’t notice how sloppy his handwriting was becoming, or how his head was getting closer and closer to the desk.

_What to d-_

Ford’s hand slid on the paper as his exhaustion overtook him, sentence unfinished as he succumbed to slumber.

And as he did so, an almost inaudible laughter echoed around the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry it took me longer than normal to update! Endgame has kind of thrown me for a loop and I'm also getting closer to parts of the story that I still haven't totally figured out yet...I'm hoping writing more will help that, but I don't want to disappoint anyone with how I write things so I think that has been making writing more scary than usual?  
> Also, I know in Journal 3, Ford does know why Gravity Falls is so weird, but for this fic, I'm going to assume that is something he learned in other dimensions?  
> I'm not sure when I'll have the next chapter up, I've barley started it and Camp NaNo is over now, but I will try to get it up sooner rather than later!  
> Once again, thanks for reading and commenting <333


	5. Scam Artists

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mabel helps Stan with a small con job and Dipper runs into something unexpected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Tumblr post](https://aceofstars16.tumblr.com/post/185073560508/trapped-in-the-past-chapter-5)

Mabel watched as the landscape passed by, her face pressed up against the cool window. She glanced at the floor, where she had placed the time machine, and barely managed to hold back a sigh. Every time she looked at it, she felt a knot of unease and sorrow grow in her stomach. Was she really doing the right thing? Or was there even a right thing to do in her circumstance? If only she had a way to make sure Dipper was okay, or to figure out where he was, or…something…

“You okay kiddo?”

Stan’s voice interrupted her thoughts and she looked over at him. He glanced at her for a moment before looking back at the road, but in that second, she saw concern on his face. If only she could tell him…

“Yeah it’s…fine…” Pulling her sweater up to her ears, Mabel tried to believe it. To remind herself this was the only option - the only real solution she had.

“Thinking about your brother, huh?” There was a heaviness to Stan’s voice that made her pull the sweater down so she could see and hear clearly again.

“How did you…?” She sighed and looked at the time machine, touching it with her foot. “Yeah, I just hope he’s okay…”

“I’m sure he’s fine…he’s a smart kid, yeah?” Something in the way Stan spoke made her wonder if he was really talking about Dipper or his brother. Ford. She still wanted to know more about him, but her thoughts were divided between that and her own worries.

“Sometimes…though he’s not the most social person. I usually helped him with that…”

“Oh…”

Looking at Stan, Mabel felt a question rising up in her mind, and since she couldn’t really think of anything else to talk about, she took a shot at it. “Were you and uh…Ford, close?”

If Mabel hadn’t been looking at him, she might not have noticed the tiny wince on his face, but she did. And she immediately regretted it. Opening her mouth, she was about to take it back, but Stan’s voice stopped her.

“Yeah…he was my best friend you know? I…it’s a twin thing I guess.”

“Wait, he’s your twin?!?” Shock coursed through Mabel. How in the world did she not only know that Stan didn’t have another brother, but that said brother was his twin?

“Eh, yeah. Had some fun times pretending to be each other. We even mastered each other’s voices. Heh, we messed with a lot of people back in the day.” A lightness overcame Stan as he spoke, a genuine smile growing on his face. Which disappeared as soon as Mabel asked her next question.

“What happened?”

A shadow passed over Stan’s face and he sighed. “I…oh look at that.” Stan pointed at a cliff outcropping that was being highlighted by the sun. It was pretty but not something Mabel thought he would normally point out. Man, what had happened between him and his brother?

“It looks like a big mouth.” Mabel tried focusing on the outcropping, but it was hard to do when she really just wanted to talk about Ford more. Or figure out if there was something else she should be doing instead of going to Gravity Falls. Both questions were weighing her down, and it wasn’t fun in the slightest.

Silence grew between them, and despite knowing Stan wouldn’t want to talk she had to know. Or at least try to find out… “Was it a fight?”

Stan’s grip tightened on the steering wheel but he didn’t say anything. Maybe he was pretending he hadn’t heard her – he had done that in the past. Or future if she wanted to be technical.

“Dipper and I fight sometimes.” She didn’t really know what else to say, or if there was anything she could say to get Stan to tell her what had happened. But just mentioning fights brought up guilt over the Waddles incident. “…we…we fought before we got separated.” _And maybe none of this would’ve happened if I had just let him have his day with Wendy._ She didn’t voice the last bit, but she thought it. The thought had crossed her mind a lot the past few days…

A sigh. “Sorry about that, kiddo…I…I’m sure it’ll all work out.” Though the words were comforting, they sounded more depressed then encouraging, as if he wasn’t even thinking about her and Dipper. Okay, so a fight was probably the reason behind him not wanting to talk about Ford. But it must have been a big one. She couldn’t imagine any fight would ever make her not want to talk about Dipper. Sure, sometimes he could be stupid after a fight, but that only lasted a little while. And they usually laughed about it later. So what kind of fight could break up _twins_?

“You getting hungry?”

Stan’s voice shook her out of her thoughts – though they still lingered at the back of her mind – and she looked out the window. There were signs lining the roadside, advertising a few different restaurants. Now that she thought about it, she _was_ pretty hungry. But she wasn’t stupid. She had seen how little cash Stan had, and how he had sped away from a gas station without paying.

“I’m good.”

He quirked an eyebrow at her, a frown on his face. “Sure you are…”

They stopped at a small food chain that Mabel had never heard of, so it must only be a chain in Utah or something.

As Stan pulled in, Mabel glanced worriedly at him. “Really, I’m okay…”

“I’ve heard your stomach grumble three times since I mentioned food, kiddo, now come on.” He opened his door and Mabel hesitantly followed suit. But as she walked around the car, she saw him frowning at the few coins in his hand.

Upon hearing her shoes crunching on the gravel of the parking lot, he looked up and shoved the money in his pocket again. “Say…how’s your acting?”

Oh this was the Stan she knew. And while Dipper didn’t approve of Stan’s schemes, Mabel found them fun and usually somewhat harmless. Besides, maybe doing something familiar would help ease her mind about this whole mess. “I’ve been in every play my school has put on.”

As she spoke, she grinned and he matched it.

“Great, now, here’s the plan…”

* * *

“Oh this one is much cleaner than the last one!” Mabel practically shouted as she hopped around, looking at each of the pictures hung up on the wall of the restaurant. Normally she didn’t pay too much attention to them, but it fit into the plan and they actually were interesting. People cooking burgers, cartoon characters sharing burgers. Kind of silly but hey, there was nothing wrong with that.

“You’re right, these floors look recently swept. That will give them some extra points.” Stan said, bending down to examine the colorful tile.

“Um…can I help you?”

An employee was looking at them from behind the counter, confusion written all over his face.

“You sure can! I’m a scout for the Best Burgers contest, and we’re here to judge this fine establishment!” The words rolled easily off of Stan’s tongue, a grin punctuating the end of his sentence.

“Uh…Burgers 4 U is a chain…” The employee – Steve – said, looking at Stan, confusion still lining his face.

“We are judging all burger joints, chain or not. Every place has a different manager and staff, right? So it’s only fair to judge them all!” As he spoke, Stan tossed his hands up in the air and looked around, still grinning.

“And yours is one of the best ones we’ve been to so far!” Mabel piped in, pointing to the cartoon painting. “This looks original!”

“Umm…” Steve looked at Mabel and at Stan. “Why did you bring your daughter with you to judge restaurants?”

Stan stared for a moment, as did Mabel. Saying he was her uncle wasn’t hard at all since he was her great uncle but there was something a little strange about having someone assume he was her dad. Though it kind of made sense in a way. They _did_ look related after all.

“Gotta have the kid’s perspective too, right? ‘Sides, her mom couldn’t watch her this weekend and she loves burgers.” Mabel was surprised how quickly he came up with a cover, but this _was_ Stan, quick covers seemed to come easy for him. Though it did sound a little more strained than some of his other lies, but Steve just shrugged, so it was still a win.

“Okay, so uh…you want to order or…?”

“First things first! There is a small entry fee.” As he spoke, Steve frowned, but Stan rushed on. “Only to expand the prize money of course. The winning restaurant gets it all, and just between you and me.” Stan lowered his voice and bent closer to Steve as if to make sure they were the only ones who could hear the next words despite there being no other costumers in the building. “Your establishment is already better than most of the places we’ve been to this week.”

“Umm…okay…uh…” Steve looked around, biting his lip. “My boss isn’t here right this second, maybe we could wait till he gets back-“

“Making the customer wait on the manager. Sweetie why don’t you write that one down.”

Mabel froze, because she didn’t actually have anything to write notes down on. But after a second, she stuck a hand in her skirt pocket. Act like you have everything you need, even if you don’t. That was one of the lessons she remembered from her play rehearsals.

“Wait, wait, um…how about I get you your food first? He should be back by then.” Steve tried for a smile, and Mabel felt a little bad for scamming him. She was pretty sure he was just trying to do his job and not pass up something his boss would be interested in. But her and Stan needed food, and he would be okay…right?

“Sure thing, I’ll have a number three with extra fries and, Mabel sweetie, what do you want?”

The question caught Mabel off guard for a second, mainly because she hadn’t even looked at the menu yet. But she narrowed her eyes and tried quickly skimming over the kid’s meal options. “I’ll have the Jr. Deluxe kid’s meal!”

Steve nodded as he turned his attention to the screen in front of him and pressed a few buttons – some of which seemed to stick because he hit them a few times. “Alright, that will be-“

“Hmm, charging the judges for their meals, make a note of that.” Stan stage whispered to Mabel, effectively cutting Steve off from saying the price.

“Umm…” Steve glanced at the screen, then at Stan and Mabel. “You can have as seat; I’ll get this out soon.”

Stan nodded. “That’s what I like to hear. Got some points going for you.” He winked then grabbed the cups Steve had pulled out for their sodas and confidently strode towards the drink dispenser.

A few minutes later, Mabel was sipping some sort of off brand soda while munching on fries and a somewhat bland burger with tasteless toppings that didn’t add much flavor. But she was so hungry she didn’t even care. Food was food. And as she glanced up at Stan - who was tearing into his burger - she was pretty sure he felt the same way.

As she took the last bite of her burger, Mabel saw Stan looking at the counter, a thoughtful frown on his face. “Alright kiddo, let’s see if we can get that ‘entry’ money…and maybe a milkshake if you want it.” As he spoke, he reached out and ruffled her hair before picking up the tray and making his way to the trash.

Mabel quickly got up and followed him, trying to push aside the guilt as she glanced at Steve. It wasn’t that much money and they really did need it. Especially because she didn’t know if Stan would be able to get away with not paying for gas again. At least not without getting into trouble.

Making his way back to the counter, Stan grinned at Steve. “Your boss back yet?”

Steve glanced around nervously. “Not yet…”

Stan made a tsk sound. “Well, I can just pay and we can be on our way. After all, I can’t enter you without the money.”

It was a bluff. Mabel was pretty sure Stan didn’t have enough money to pay for the food they had just eaten. And if Steve took the offer…Mabel prepared herself to run.

“I…well…How much is it to enter?”

“Twenty dollars.” Stan came up with the amount so fast, Mabel couldn’t help but wonder when he had come up with that number. It didn’t seem like a lot to her but she vaguely remembered Dipper talking about how money had been worth more a few decades ago…maybe that had something to do with it?

Despite the amount sounding very low to Mabel, Steve looked worried. “I’m not sure if I can…”

“Well, I guess we’ll just scratch this one off of the list and be on our way…”

“Wait! I…let me just…” Steve opened up the cash register and started counting out a few bills, worry furrowing his brow. As he looked up, he hesitantly handed it to Stan.

Stan took it and counted it carefully. “That should do it! And your odds of winning are looking pretty good.” He winked and grinned, then turned to look at Mabel. “Ready to go, pumpkin?” A questioning look grew on his face, and somehow she could tell it wasn’t because he actually wanted to leave. Milkshake. She remembered what he had said, but despite loving sweet things, Mabel could see the uncertainty on Steve’s face and she just smile and nodded.

“Yup, ready!”

Stan frowned at her, but let her lead him out of the restaurant. After all, she was pretty full and…leaving while they were ahead was the safer route. Plus, skipping out on scamming someone was something Dipper would approve of. Not that he was here but…she didn’t want any little thing to get between them. Not a pig, or a milkshake, or anything else. So, she led Stan to the car and hopped into the passenger’s side without a word.

She could feel Stan looking at her, but she focused on a loose stitch on her sweater.

Then the car rumbled to life and they were on their way again.

* * *

Stan leaned back in his seat, trying to get comfortable, but deep down he didn’t know if he would actually sleep at all.

Looking at the backseat, he saw Mabel curled up, his bag under her head as a makeshift pillow. As he watched, she shivered and without really thinking, he took off his jacket and draped it over her. It was the least he could do since he couldn’t afford a hotel. Or at least, not if they wanted to keep some of the money they had managed to scam out of that kid at the burger place. Getting a hotel room would take most of, if not all of the twenty bucks and Stan was pretty sure he would need to fill up a few more times before they made it to Oregon. So, sleeping in the car was the only reasonable option. After all, he didn’t want to be flippant with the money Mabel had helped him get.

The thought brought a small smile to his face. Mabel had been great. He was surprised how well she had played along. Almost like it was a game. Part of him felt bad for dragging her down to his level, but she hadn’t seemed to mind too much. Apart from the milkshake. She seemed to have more of a conscious about scamming people than he did. Though once upon a time he might’ve been a little more hesitant about it too. But now it was the only way he could survive so…he did what he had to do.

Letting out a breath, he caught sight of the tape measure that was still sitting in the front seat. He hesitantly picked it up and turned it over in his hand, frowning as he saw some circuit boards and other things that he didn’t think tape measures normally came equipped with. Maybe it was a toy or something…but his gut told him otherwise. He looked at Mabel again and couldn’t help but wonder what she wasn’t telling him. But he couldn’t force her to tell him. He would just have to be patient, or hope that her great uncle would be able to help her. And her brother.

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Stan felt a small stab of worry and pain. He didn’t know what had happened between her and her brother. But he sure hoped it would work out better than him and Ford…But then again, Ford had asked him to come so…maybe there was still some hope for them too. Though he tried to tell himself not to get his hopes up. There was no telling why Ford had called on him so suddenly, it might not have anything to do with their broken relationship…

Placing the measuring tape back on the passenger’s seat, Stan pulled the postcard out from the armrest and flipped it over to look at the writing. _Please Come_ was the most prominent part of it, and everything looked normal for Ford. Then again, Stan didn’t really know what was normal for his brother anymore. But as he looked closer, he couldn’t help but notice a few ink splatters on the corner, and a few lines that looked a little shaky. Anxiety grew in his stomach and all he wanted to do was turn on the car and drive all night till he got to Gravity Falls. And for a second, the idea took hold and he stuck the key into the ignition, only to stop as he realized how hard it was to move his arm even that short distance. His body was exhausted. After all, he really hadn’t slept much last night.

With a groan he pulled the key out and leaned back again. A few hours and he would be good to go. Though as he tried to find a more comfortable position, he couldn’t help but wonder how well he would actually sleep. Anxiety didn’t really aid in falling asleep. But he had to try. Because he needed rest to drive safely. And he needed to drive safe, for Mabel’s sake. Plus, he wouldn’t really be able to help Ford if he got into a wreck either. Just a quick nap. That’s all he needed. _Give me that, just two hours or so._ He pleaded with his brain as he closed his eyes and tried not to think about all of the worries and uncertainties crowding his mind. It seemed an impossible task, but eventually his exhaustion won and sleep overtook him.

* * *

The ceiling was so clean, at least compared to what Dipper was used to - though there were still some stains here and there. Not nearly as many as there were in 2012 though. He tried seeing if any looked like an animal or something but that was really more Mabel’s forte. It was better than thinking about his current situation, though it wasn’t doing a very good job as his mind kept coming back to Mabel, and Ford, and what the heck he was supposed to do. What he _wanted_ to do was go back to the attic and see if he could find some answers. But he wasn’t quite sure where Ford was and he didn’t really want to risk any more backlash even if Ford _had_ given him food and actually seemed interested in his findings. Crap. Had that been smart? Would that create inconsistencies in the future? Well, he couldn’t really take it back now. It wasn’t like he could wipe Ford’s memory or anything. Hopefully it would be okay… Maybe Ford wouldn’t even think about it too much, he did seem kind of…odd. Off his kilter or something. Even more so that Dipper would’ve expected.

Closing his eyes, Dipper wondered if he could actually fall asleep. It would be more like a nap than anything. After all, he wasn’t really _that_ tired, but there was only so much he could do while pretending to be asleep.

Or maybe…trying to tune out his thoughts, Dipper listened closely. The only thing he could hear was the wind outside and the heater working furiously to keep the room warm. No stairs creaking, no muttering, nothing to indicate that Ford was nearby. If he was quiet, maybe he could sneak up to the attic.

Sitting up slowly, Dipper looked around, but didn’t see any sign of Ford either, and it was still quiet too. Pushing the blankets aside, he slowly made his way out of the parlor, keeping an eye out for Ford as he went. So far so good.

One step, then another. Stepping over a spot on the ground that was known for creaking, at least in the future - just in case. Ducking behind a wall because he thought he heard something. Continuing onward a moment later when everything seemed clear. Almost there.

“Well, well, well! Whacha up to kiddo?”

Dipper jumped straight up at the sudden sound before fumbling to turn around.

Ford was staring at him, a huge grin lighting his face. That was…odd…

“Uh…I was just uh…getting some water…” Dipper came up with the excuse on the spot. If Ford was even more out of it than before, he really didn’t want to risk upsetting him.

“Don’t let me stop you, I’m just on my way to the lab, hahaha!” Ford’s grin didn’t falter once while talking, and as he spoke, Dipper noticed something even stranger. He blinked with one eye, then the other…and it almost looked like one eye was bloodshot.

Turning on his heels in a very jaunty way, Ford started making his way towards the gift shop. But as Dipper watched, he felt a growing sense of unease in his gut. Something did not seem right. Sure, Dipper didn’t really _know_ Ford, but…what he had just witnessed did _not_ line up with how Ford had been acting the last few days. Had he finally cracked under some sort of pressure? Or had he just lost it completely?

Whatever it was, Dipper couldn’t help but feel that Ford wasn’t really in shape to be working in the lab, especially after the warning he had given Dipper a few hours ago.

“Wait!” Trying not to pay attention to the fear growing in his chest, Dipper raced after Ford, reaching him just as he opened the bookcase.

“Oh look who’s back. I thought you were getting a drink of water Pine Tree.”

“Pine Tree…?”

“Go on, I have lots of important equations to fix!”

Dipper stared at Ford, watching as he blinked again, one eye at a time, just like before. A chill ran down his back.

“Are you…are you sure you are up to it?” It was the first thing that Dipper could think of, and as soon as he said it, he winced. That sounded very rude.

But Ford’s only response was a laugh, a very loud, long, laugh. “I’ve never been better! Just got work to do!”

Not reprimand, no yelling at him to leave. And laughter. Dipper hadn’t heard Ford laugh more than a chuckle…Maybe he had been off of his game before and now he was actually back to normal but…it didn’t feel right _at all_.

“Could you help me find a water cup?” Dipper didn’t know what he was doing, but every inch of his body was telling him to do something, to make sure Ford really _was_ okay. Because this was Gravity Falls, and anything was possible in Gravity Falls. There was no telling what kind of things could mess with people here.

“Ha, good one. You can find it yourself, kid. Now, I’m off to work!”

Fear pulsed through Dipper, but he couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling that he could not let Ford get to the lab. And before he knew what he was doing, he bolted forward, barring Ford’s way into the secret hallway.

“Hey, what are you doing Pine Tree?”

For the first time since this encounter started, Ford actually growled. He seemed very annoyed, which was more normal for him…Maybe he was just-

A flash of light caught Ford’s eyes and Dipper froze. Because they did not look right, they looked like…cat’s eyes… Wait, wasn’t there something in the journal about…?

“Out of my way!” Ford shoved Dipper into the wall, pushing his way to the elevator.

Dipper didn’t know what was going on, his brain was blanking on the exact details of the creature he had read about in the journal. But there was one thing he did know. The machine in the basement was dangerous, and if some creature was trying to get to it…he _had_ to stop them. And if Ford really was just crazy well…he’d deal with the consequences of that.

Scrambling to his knees, Dipper dove forward, grabbing Ford’s legs and making him stumble.

“Hey, what the…?”

“I don’t know what you are or if you are just losing it but I’m not letting you into that room!”

“Get OFF ME!”

Ford kicked Dipper, hard, slamming him into the ground.

Pain radiated through Dipper’s body and for a moment he couldn’t breathe. Fear engulfed every inch of his body as he tried to get air into his lungs. The elevator doors rolled open. Ford grinned at him.

_No!_ Dipper scrambled forward, his vision going blurry as he rolled into the small enclosure. Opening his mouth, he tried desperately to breathe again, and his lungs finally complied.

“Not a smart move, kiddo.”

Gasping for a moment, Dipper forced himself to look up at Ford, only to press himself up against the wall at the murderous look in his eyes.

Terror gripped every inch of his mind and body. What was he doing? He couldn’t stand up to an adult, he was just a _kid_. Ford was much bigger than him and he didn’t have anything he could use to defend himself besides his hands.

“Tell you what, I’ll give you one more chance, Pine Tree. Stay on this elevator and pretend this never happened. But if not well…”

He should take the deal. His brain screamed at him to just stay still, to do nothing. But…

“…you might make a good pawn for Sixer…or your sister.”

Anger cut through the fear. Mabel. He brought _Mabel_ into this. There was no way Dipper was letting this thing hurt Mabel in anyway. Especially if it knew where she was…

The doors swung open and Ford strolled out. Taking a deep breath, Dipper lunged at his back.

They both fumbled to the ground.

“THAT’S IT!”

Ford kicked Dipper again, sending him flying, but unlike last time, Dipper still had his breath. He jumped again, trying to pull Ford away from the machinery, doing anything he could to stop him. Kicking, biting, tripping, _anything_.

“ENOUGH!” Ford kicked Dipper away again, murder glistening in his eyes.

Everything hurt. Dipper didn’t know the last time he had ever felt this much pain. He could barely look up, let alone keep trying to hinder Ford.

But this time Ford wasn’t stalking towards the machines, he was coming towards Dipper.

Crap…was this it? Would…whatever thing controlling Ford actually kill him? Just to get to the machine?

All of the adrenaline that had been fueling Dipper was dying. Fear came back full force as tears started forming in his eyes. He didn’t want to die. Not here, not without making it up to Mabel, not at the hands of his hero. But what else could he do?

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a wrench on the floor. It was a few feet away, but he fumbled forward. Maybe if he could get a good hit in, he could do…something…?

A lunge for the tool, a growl from Ford as he tried to reach it first. Feeling the weight in his hand as he wrapped his fingers around the metal tool and swung, right at Ford’s head.

The clang echoed around the room as Ford fumbled and fell to the ground.

Breathe coming in gasps, tears fell from Dipper’s eyes as everything sunk in. As his body almost shut down from sheer shock and exhaustion.

“Wh…wha…?”

Ford’s voice sent a spike of fear through Dipper’s body, but he could only look at Ford as he felt his head, then looked up at Dipper. Blood was dripping from his right eye, which was shut tight. Confusion flicked on Ford’s face for a moment, but then he touched his eye and as he pulled it back his expression was one of utter terror.

“Oh no…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new chapter! Sorry this one took so long, my mental health kind of threw me for a loop and then I was pretty busy with family stuff so I didn't have as much time or energy to work on it *flops*  
> Also...I played with the idea of having Ford's POV in this chapter but it was already so long and I really want to focus on him more in the next chapter sooo...tune in for that ;)  
> Oh, and I actually did some research for this chapter? Did you know that $20 in the 80s is around $55 dollars nowadays? Or at least it is according to google...*shrugs*  
> (I also totally named that employee Rob at first before realizing that was really close to Robbie? So I changed it...*totally didn't just grab a name from Stranger Things cause it's close to the same year as this oops*)  
> Anyways...thanks for reading and all the comments! <3 I don't know when I'll be able to update again cause I'm going on a trip in a little over a week but hopefully it won't be too long of a wait :D


	6. Nightmares and Dream Demons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ford has some explaining to do, and Mabel has a nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Tumblr post](https://aceofstars16.tumblr.com/post/185777896448/trapped-in-the-past-chapter-6)

Ford couldn’t move. His legs felt like lead, his eye burned, and his head felt like there was a crack splitting it right down the middle. Everything hurt. He had never felt this terrible before but there was something almost familiar about it. Almost as if…

Forcing his hand to move, Ford touched his eye then pulled it back, dreading what he might see. And there it was - blood.

“Oh no…”

This was...bad, _very_ bad. He had fallen asleep, Bill had…

Then he remembered what he had first seen when he had…woken up - was that the right word? He didn’t even know anymore but…Dipper.

Trying to ignore the pain, he looked up at the kid again, keeping his bloody eye shut. He knew from experience that trying to open it would only make it hurt more. He would have to treat it and then keep it closed as much as he could.

As he looked up though, any musings about his eye died. Because Dipper was staring at him, horror etched on every inch of his face. He looked _terrified_.

Oh gosh…what had Bill _done_ to him? Wait. If Bill had hurt Dipper then…there was no way the kid was working with the demon. Then again Bill had hurt Ford plenty of times…but if Dipper was down here, he must have been trying to stop Bill, right? And if he was trying to stop Bill then he wasn’t working with him…maybe…probably…

A groan escaped Ford as he tried to figure out what to think, but thinking about anything was like trying to wade through a swamp covered in needles. It was painful and near impossible.

“I-I won’t l-let you t-turn on this m-machine.” Dipper’s voice was shaky, his body was trembling like crazy, and if Ford was seeing correctly – which he might not be – it almost looked like tears were glistening in his eyes.

Okay…the chances of Dipper working with Bill were pretty small if his current state was anything to go by. Unless the kid was a very good actor, but…Ford doubted it. Or maybe he just didn’t have the ability to doubt. He didn’t know. However, he did feel like he needed to say something. If only to let Dipper know that Bill wasn’t here. Or at least that he wasn’t in control of his body anymore. So, despite not wanting to talk or move or do anything, Ford forced himself to speak.

“He’s gone, Dipper. I…Bill’s not…it’s me now…” Ford was surprised by how quiet his voice was, but he couldn’t force himself to speak louder. Not now, not when talking took almost all of his concentration and energy.

Dipper looked at Ford hesitantly, fear still evident in how his body was curled up under him.

Crap. This would take some time to make right…though, Ford wondered if making it right was even a possibility. From the look of it, Ford had really put Dipper through something. And from the pain radiating through his own body, Dipper had put up a good fight. Making _that_ right would be pretty much impossible…but at least he could explain.

A shiver ran down Ford’s back and his head screamed in pain as he heard voiced whispering around him. Couldn’t he get a break from them for one minute?!? Shutting his good eye, he tried steeling himself, readying himself to move. They couldn’t stay down here. It was too dangerous. He already felt seconds away from blacking out and if Bill came back…well the only upside was that Ford’s body might be too exhausted for the demon to do anything but…it wasn’t a risk he was willing to take.

Forcing his legs to move, Ford maneuvered his body until he was crouching, then, gritting his teeth, he stood up. His body swayed and if it wasn’t for the desk next to him, he would’ve fallen on his face.

“D-don’t-“ Dipper’s voice sounded shakily from the floor and Ford peaked his eye open to see the kid trying to scramble to his feet, but he was shaking so violently that he looked about a second away from collapsing.

Man…they were both in bad shape.

“It’s okay, Dipper. We-we need to get upstairs.” Ford’s throat ached as he spoke. Bill must have been screaming with his voice. Just another reason not to let himself sleep again. Not until all of this was fixed at least, not until Bill was out of his mind.

Reaching out, Ford offered a hand to Dipper, even though he didn’t know how much he would be able to help the kid, seeing as he was barely able to keep himself upright.

Dipper glanced at the hand, then at Ford. He didn’t look reassured, but he slowly reached out and accepted the help.

They both shakily made their way into the elevator and as Ford pressed the button, he leaned heavily against the wall. All he wanted to do was slide to the floor and not move for ten hours. But that wasn’t an option. So he pressed his hand into the wall, sending a fresh wave of pain through his body. Pain wasn’t fun, but it sometimes helped him stay awake. As long as it wasn’t _too_ intense.

The next few minutes went by in a painfully draining fog. Making their way back to the parlor, Ford left Dipper in the front room because the kid was barely able to stand on his own. Then he somehow managed to get to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom and took a few pain killers – though not too many seeing as that might put him to sleep. He also tried his best to clean his eye, though he wasted at least five drops because his hand was shaking so much. Then he stuffed some padding on it and covered it with an old eye patch. He didn’t even remember where he had gotten it, or if he had made it, but for some reason looking at it made him think of Stan.

Gosh…he could really use Stan right now. But…it had been days since he send the postcard…he…he needed to start considering other options. Maybe he could look for Fiddleford…though he doubted his friend would be very eager to help him again, not after…

Pushing the thought away. Ford grabbed the pain killers, a few antibacterial wipes, and band aids before forcing himself to stumble back to the front room so he could take care of the scrapes that he had seen all over Dipper’s body. Scrapes that he had caused…

As Ford stepped back into the parlor, he saw Dipper fumble to his feet, as if he still didn’t trust Ford which was reasonable. But only made Ford feel even worse. How could he have allowed this to happen?

Holding out a hand in a placating gesture, Ford held up the bandages. “I just brought some supplies for your injuries.”

For a moment, Dipper just looked at him, his eyes flicking to the eyepatch, then to the medical supplies, before he relaxed a little and collapsed on the couch.

Squeezing his hand into a fist to send a wave of pain through his arm, Ford blinked his good eye and forced away any thought of sleep before crouching down in front of Dipper. With shaky hands, he did his best to clean up the few scrapes on Dipper’s arms and legs, though he winced every time Dipper make a sound because he had caused that pain.

“Here, take these.” Ford handed Dipper a few pills, hoping he hadn’t overestimated the amount.

Dipper accepted the round pills and swallowed them without water – though after Ford saw him swallow a few times, he realized maybe he should’ve gotten a glass of water too.

Man, this was a mess. And Ford didn’t know what to do. Dipper could not stay here any longer - it was too dangerous. But there was no place to take him seeing as he was from the future. Gosh, why couldn’t this have happened a few months ago when Bill wasn’t trying to control every move he made? Okay, maybe Bill had always been doing that but…Ford was aware of it now and it was…much more draining than before.

“…who…who is Bill?”

Dipper’s quiet voice interrupted Ford’s thoughts and he focused back to the present, knowing he couldn’t keep pushing away the current dilemma but also not having a clue as to what he was supposed to do. Plus, he owed the kid and explanation…despite the fact that Bill was the last thing he wanted to talk about.

“He is…the worst anomaly I’ve ever encountered…”

A moment then, “I think I remember…something in your journal about him…but I can’t…remember all of it…”

Taking a deep breath, Ford steeled himself for talking about the demon who was living in his mind, who was haunting him, controlling him, and slowly destroying him. “There is…a lot more to him than I’ve written about…it-it all started a few years ago…”

* * *

Colors lit up the sky, more colors than anyone would be able to name – well, anyone but Mabel. Fuchsia, magenta, indigo, amaranth. As she saw a new color she shouted out its name to the sky. Every time she did, a unicorn would run by and yell it back, which resulted in Mabel’s grin growing bigger and bigger until it was so big it would’ve hurt anyone’s mouth, but not hers! It was perfect. Peaceful with just the right amount of crazy that made her feel right at home. Oh yes this was-

“Mabel!”

The voice was barely a whisper, but it frozen Mabel in her tracks. The colors of the sky darkened and started swirling around her like a tornado. But she didn’t care because that voice…

“Dipper?!?”

“Mabel!” It was barely audible, but Mabel started running, wind pulling on her clothes as the world around her was slowly turning into a torrent of color and destruction.

“Dipper, where are you?!?” Mabel shouted into the wind, but her voice only slammed back into her.

Another whisper…maybe, but she could barely hear it over the wind. She called out again but this time there was nothing, no response. Only the deafening wind that was sucking every ounce of color from the world around her.

“DIPPER!” Shouting with all of her might, Mabel desperately searched for her brother, but darkness was suffocating her. Light was fading, and a blackness that she could feel was starting to stick to her.

She called out again, but her voice was only a whisper, as if the darkness was taking everything good out of the world, and as it tugged at her, she realized she was next.

“Dipper! Someone! Help!” Despite screaming as loud as she could, she couldn’t even hear her own words. Fear gripped her and she tried to run, tried to do anything, but she couldn’t move.

“Ow!”

Sensation came whirling back around Mabel as her eyes shot open, her arms were being restricted by something, which didn’t help the terror of the dream. She tried to get her baring, but panic was overwhelming her. Then arms gripped her shoulders. She tried pulling away, but a familiar voice sounded and she froze.

“Easy, kid, it’s okay! It was just a dream.”

 _Stan_. For a moment, she just stared at him. Because he didn’t look right. But as the dream slowly faded, she remembered where she was, _when_ she was. And suddenly the weight of the nightmare grew once again.

“Just breathe. And here, you are a little…” Stan leaned over and unbuckled the seatbelt, which was wrapped around her. That and her twisted up sweater explained why she felt so constricted. When she could move again, her chest eased a little.

“Better?”

Mabel managed a nod, but she couldn’t help but shake the feeling that there was something more to the dream than just her own subconscious. Then again, she did have a strong imagination, as her mom always said. Maybe it was just her own brain making a dream out of her circumstances? Though why would it make such a terrible one?

“Sheesh, some dream, huh?”

Trying to shake away the unease in her chest, Mabel focused on Stan, and then the scenery around them. She hadn’t even noticed the cold air had been blowing in from outside, but now she could see the small flurries of snow in the air, fluttering through the trees that lined the road. It was not what she had fallen asleep to and she realized Stan must have been driving while she was sleeping.

“W-where are we?”

“Idaho, I think?” Stan looked around, then pulled a map out of his pocket and after a few seconds pointed to a road on it. “Somewhere around here. Getting closer to Gravity Falls.”

Mabel looked at the map, something she was sure Dipper might enjoy, but she just found herself confused by all of the different lines. Then she spotted something alone the line that Stan was pointing at. A dot labeled Twin Falls. Just the name weighted heavy on her and she hugged her sweater a little tighter to herself. She had heard Dipper in her dream, but…it wasn’t the same as actually seeing him or hearing him in real life…

“You want to move up front? We might be able to find some food at the next town.”

The question rang around in Mabel’s head, as if her brain didn’t totally understand it, but she forced herself to nod. Food would be good. And soon they would be in Gravity Falls and then…well…one step at a time, right?

After moving to the front of the car, Stan pulled back onto the road, and Mabel realized he must have pulled over to wake her up…man she hadn’t had a dream that bad in…come to think of it she didn’t know if she’d ever had a nightmare like that before.

They stopped in Twin Falls, which was a pretty small town, and to her relief, Mabel didn’t feel as weighed down by it as she had when she first read the name. Maybe the drive had calmed her, or maybe it was because small towns always had such fun things to look at, but she found she enjoyed the little store they went in to. And Stan buying her a super swirly lollipop might have helped a little too.

Getting back into the car almost felt, disheartening. Mabel wished she could just stay there forever. It felt like Gravity Falls had - carefree and different, but a good different. Some place you could stay for a summer and get to know everything about it – then again, most small towns where that way. But even as the sadness grew in her chest, she knew she had to leave. She couldn’t stay here, in 1980 something – despite kind of wishing she could. Not that she disliked the 2010s, they were great and she had to admit a cellphone would be nice right about now, but she had always loved the 80s. If she wasn’t separated from Dipper without a way to get home it could almost be fun.

“Ready?” Stan asked as he closed the door.

Mabel took one last look at the town and made a mental note to visit again sometime, even if it would look different in 30 years, then nodded.

The town disappeared and soon it got _cold_. Despite the heater blowing on her, Mabel kept shivering as they drove closer and closer to their destination. Looking at the snow falling seemed to make it feel even colder than it was, and she had to admit, Stan’s heater wasn’t really very good at…heating. It was more like a mild warm than _hot_.

And as the storm blew, it slowly started chipping away at Mabel’s certainty at this whole plan. What if she was making a mistake? What if Dipper was still looking for her in New Mexico? What if he wasn’t even in this time period and she was just going to a dead end?

“So, you know your great uncle’s address?”

Stan’s voice brought all of Mabel’s thoughts crashing into each other. Did she know…? Oh…right…the great uncle that she had ‘made up’ but not really made up because he was sitting in the car next to her. But she couldn’t tell him that.

“Ummm…no…” A lie, but, if she said an address with the same road as the postcard it might seem a little strange.

Stan let out a sigh. “Okay, I guess we can head into town and find a phonebook and we can look it up-“

“No!”

The car swerved and Mabel wasn’t sure if it was because of her shout, or because Stan lost control of the car. The weather wasn’t exactly very…driving friendly.

“I-the storm is really bad! Couldn’t we just wait it out at your brother’s place?” Mabel’s heart was racing, and she wasn’t sure if it was from the swerving or the fact that this could all fall apart if Stan didn’t let her stay with him. Though she supposed it might be a mixture of both.

“Look, kid, I…it’s really best if we just find your family’s place. Trust me.”

Trust him. Mabel _did_ trust him, and maybe if she wasn’t freaking out, she would’ve realized he was just trying to do the safest thing for her, but right now all she knew was that she had to convince Stan to let her tag along to his brother’s house. Because she didn’t have any other place to go and if he figured out that she had kind of been lying well…she wasn’t sure how he would react.

Then the smallest idea started forming in her mind. It wasn’t great but…it was her best bet…

* * *

“I found a cave painting of this…creature. The…the people seemed to be worshiping it. Some kind of...supernatural power. The writings were vague, but there were instructions to summon him and a warning against doing so…I…didn’t listen.”

Ford’s eyes were fixed on the ground, and despite his head feeling like it was full of cotton, Dipper could hear the guilt in his voice. A knot grew in his stomach. He knew what that was like…if he had just let Robbie ask out Wendy, he would be at the Mystery Shack he knew with only his normal scrapes on his knees from running around outside.

“…at first, I… I thought Bill was my friend, he helped me with a project, I…the portal in the basement, I-“ Ford shook his head before continuing. “He told me he was a muse and I believed it until…” With a deep breath, he looked up at the wall, but he didn’t continue, as if he was lost in memory.

Dipper glanced at the wall, wincing a little because even that small movement hurt. Gosh he hadn’t hurt this much since that one PE class… There was nothing on the wall, it was just…plain. For a moment, Dipper thought Ford was done talking, but then he let out a long breath and spoke again.

“He was lying, he just wanted to use me to open up a gateway between our world and his…and I was stupid enough to listen because…”A frown, another sigh. “All someone has to do is turn on the portal and Bill can come into our dimension and do whatever he wants to it…”

Questions were swirling around in Dipper’s brain, but it was hard to get a grasp on them when his head was throbbing and his body felt like lead. “But…how…why…he was in you…right?”

What could only be described as a wince crossed Ford’s face and he closed his good eye. Dipper thought he heard muttering, but it was hard to tell though the fog of his own mind.

Then “…I made a deal with Bill I…I let him into my mind to…help me build the portal.” Ford’s voice was quiet, but then it dropped to muttering again. However, this time, Dipper managed to catch what he said. “I was such an idiot.”

“So…he…he’s in your mind…right now?” Dipper hated how scared he sounded, but he couldn’t help it. If Ford - or really Bill – started going all crazy again, he didn’t think he could stop him in this state.

“I…yes…but…no, it’s…” Letting out a long breath, Ford placed his hands over his eyes and not moving an inch as he sat on the couch. The wind outside was the only thing that broke the silence. Then he spoke again. “He’s there but…he’s can’t take over unless I let him or I…I’m asleep. It’s the only way he can access this world without the portal or someone summoning him. And I’ve been doing everything I can to keep him at bay but…” He sat up a little and looked at his hand. “Humans can only go for so long without sleep and I’m no exception…” His hand dropped into his lap and he sighed as he looked at Dipper. “I’m sorry for that, I never…I shouldn’t have let Bill take over.”

Despite his decreased thinking ability, Dipper found that it wasn’t hard to understand what Ford was saying. At least parts of it. Either Ford was so tired, Bill had taken over and he couldn’t stop him, or he had fallen asleep. Both cases didn’t seem like things that Ford could’ve stopped. Not that Dipper wanted everything to have happened as it did - especially because every time he caught sight of Ford’s eye he was taken back to the basement and the terrifying cat like eyes… But at least he understood it all now. And Ford had apologized… and from everything he had seen, Dipper had no reason to believe that he didn’t mean it.

“What…what are we supposed to do now?” It was the first thing that came to Dipper’s mind, because what in the world were you supposed to do when there was some sort of dream demon in the mind of the only person you kind of knew in a time you didn’t belong?

“I…you should rest, I…I’ll figure something out…”

Rest. Yeah, like that was going to happen. Okay, sure, sleeping _did_ sound good, but Dipper doubted he was going to be able to rest. Especially when Ford was going on even less sleep and more injuries that him. Still, maybe he could just, lie down a little…let his body relax a little even though he knew his mind wouldn’t.

However, as Dipper lied down, another question popped into his head, or maybe it just became clearer because he was pretty sure if he wasn’t so out of it he would have a bazillion more questions.

“Why did your eye bleed?”

A sigh. “A side effect of Bill. He only has one eye so, I guess having an extra one doesn’t…mesh well.”

One eye…Dipper closed his eyes, trying to picture the page in the journal. One eye. The worst anomaly. Bill. “Wait is he…a triangle?” Opening his eyes, Dipper looked at Ford, who was starting at him in shock, only to relax as soon as Dipper said, “Your journal.”

“Right…yes. I did write about him a little in my third journal…” For a moment, Ford just stared at his lap, but then he got up – though it looked much harder than it would be for anyone else. Once again, Dipper felt fear grip him. Yeah, he could _not_ let his guard down.

Then Ford did something that was downright…strange, but not in a bad way. He reached over and pulled the blankets up over Dipper’s shoulder and patted his head once.

“Rest.”

* * *

_Bang, bang, bang._

Dipper bolted upright and groaned as soon as he did. Everything seemed to hurt even more than before, and only when he blinked the sand out of his eyes did he realized he much has fallen asleep. Crap.

“Stay there.”

Ford’s voice came from the entryway to the room and he carefully made his way towards the door, grabbing the crossbow that he had shoved in Dipper’s face the first time they met.

Despite the command to stay put, Dipper found he couldn’t just…sit there. Forcing himself to get up, he followed Ford, who looked down at him with a frown but just held out a hand.

“Stay behind me.”

Then he put his hand on the doorknob and turned it.

* * *

Stan couldn’t believe Mabel’s luck. When she had made the offer that if Gopher Road was before the town, then he would take her to Ford’s place, he thought she was just having fun or…something. Especially because as he didn’t _really_ want her to meet Ford when he was sure something wasn’t right. But of course not checking the map – or really, not remembering the exact details – would come back to bite him. Because there was the road sign, barely visible in the howling snow. And the town was nowhere to be seen.

Glancing over at the kid, Stan saw a relieved smile on her face. Okay, so maybe she hadn’t known, or been 100% sure. Either way, he couldn’t help but wish he hadn’t agreed to the bet.

Just leave her in the car, let Ford know the situation, then get her to her family. That’s all he had to do. Well, that, and make sure he didn’t agree to any other bargains or bets she tried to make. Though, as the thought crossed his mind, he couldn’t help but wonder if she didn’t really want to visit this great uncle… She had seemed so insistent and yet, now she seemed to want to stay with him as long as possible. Oh gosh, what if something had happened and she had decided he was better than her family? Geeze…that would _not_ be good. No, he would just…take her to her family and also make sure that they were okay people. Yeah, that was a plan.

“There!”

Mabel’s voice shook Stan out of his desperate attempt to rationalize everything and work out a plan. Narrowing his eyes, he caught sight of a driveway that was…pretty much just snow. There was no address, or if there was, it was covered by the snow, but he thought he could see some sort of building through the trees, so he turned. Though, the “Keep Out” sign wasn’t exactly…encouraging…

Then the full cabin came into view. Man, it wasn’t exactly small. Ford was really living it up here…

 _And I’ve only had my car this whole time…_ The thought crossed Stan’s mind as he put the car into park. Shaking his head, he pushed the thought aside. Ford needed help. No matter what had happened before, and the ache that still lingered in his chest, he wasn’t going to leave his brother alone. Even if that’s exactly what Ford had done to him.

Letting out a breath, Stan turned and looked at Mabel.

“You stay here. I’ll see if this is the right place and if Ford has a phone book. _Don’t_ follow me.”

Of course she followed him. He didn’t realize it until he stepped onto the porch though. The wind must have blocked out any sound of her footsteps. Man, it was _cold_. His jacket didn’t do much to keep the freezing temperatures at bay and Mabel was shivering like crazy, but she wasn’t making any move to head back to the car. Probably because the El Diablo wasn’t exactly _warm_.

“Are you going to k-knock or sh-should I?” Mabel’s voice was hard to hear over the wind, but as she took a step forward, he held out a hand.

“Stay behind me.” Then, taking a deep breath and trying to still any feelings of fear, resentment, or uncertainty, he knocked.

 _One. Two. Three._ He had to pound pretty hard because he didn’t know if Ford would be right near the door or not. As he did so, he could feel Mabel hugging his leg. Man, why couldn’t anything ever go as planned?

The door swung open and before Stan could register anything, he was staring at a crossbow pointed right at his face. His eyes moved up the shaft until he saw a familiar face at the end – though the eye patch was…different. For a moment, Stan just stared at Ford. His disheveled hair, the fear and exhaustion in his eyes. And the fact that he was pointing a crossbow at him.

“Guess I can-“

“M-Mabel?”

Stan’s question was cut off by a voice he didn’t recognize. And then he saw that a kid was looking out from behind Ford. His eyes were fixed on Mabel, who was starting right back.

Then, before Stan could react at all. Mabel jumped out from behind his leg and rushed forward, flinging her arms around him as he shoved past Ford to meet her.

“Dipper!” Mabel’s hug must have been pretty strong because they both collapsed on the porch.

Stan stared in shock. How in the world had her brother ended up here of all places? Miles away from where he had met her, and with…He glanced up at Ford for a second, who was looking at the two kids, emotions flickering over his face a mile a minute.

“I’m so sorry! I was so stupid! I was so scared, I thought…I missed you so much!” Mabel’s voice drew Stan back to the kids, who he thought might both have some tears in their eyes.

“No, _I’m_ sorry! I- I missed you too.” Dipper’s voice was hard to hear, but just the small exchange between them both warmed Stan’s heart and weighed on his chest.

For a split second, Stan was a kid again, hugging Ford after he had been gone for a weekend at some nerd camp. Then the wind sent a shiver down his spine and he was back in the present. In the cold of Oregon, with two strange kids and a brother who hadn’t cared about him in years…

“…can’t be a coincidence…” Stan barely heard Ford’s mumble, and he glanced at him. Ford looked at him for a second, but not long enough for Stan to get a read on what was going on and why he had sent the postcard.

“Alright, everyone inside.” Ford’s voice sounded hoarse, but it carried through the wind and stopped the ramblings of Mabel and Dipper that Stan realized he hadn’t been paying attention to. “I have some questions for you two.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...tada? So, I was NOT planning on having a month long break between the last chapter and this one, but life kind of happened and my brain also threw other AU ideas at me...  
> But, this is the longest chapter so far and the twins are finally together again! I kind of used [this picture](https://artsycrapfromsai.tumblr.com/post/135246296090/did-a-timetrapped-au-doodle-this-is-an-idea-i-have) as inspiration because it's what fueled this fic to begin with, but...it's not quite the same, cause I like...gave Ford an eye patch...oops? xD  
> I'm going to be honest here, I only have an idea for the next chapter and...after that I need to do some major brainstorming/decision making, which hopefully I will do soon but...we'll see...And I'm thinking of maybe doing camp nano in July too, which could help me finish chapters faster, but I also feel a little burned out so...I'll see how that goes?  
> Thanks once again for reading and commenting, it means so much to me! <3


	7. Exhaustion and Explanations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The twins are reunited, but not all is well. Uncertainties and fears abound as truths come to light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Tumblr Post](https://aceofstars16.tumblr.com/post/186686390123/trapped-in-the-past-chapter-7)

It was warm inside, which was a nice change from the freezing cold of the Oregon winter raging outside, but Mabel barely noticed. She was too focused on the man that lead them into the house. Stan’s brother, who did look almost exactly like the Stan she had been traveling with over the past few days. Aside from the glasses, slightly shorter hair, and creepy yet kind of awesome looking eye patch. Oh, and the crazed look in his eyes. That was definitely different. And as Mabel looked, she realized one more difference: he had six fingers. That was pretty - wait…what?!?

“You have six fingers!”

Ford, who hadn’t really even seemed to notice her, froze, frowning as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Yes…now, can you tell me-”

“That’s so cool! Dipper has a book that has a six fingered hand on it and-” Mabel gasped. “Did you write it?”

Glancing over at Dipper, Mabel grinned and mouthed ‘the author’ and he rubbed the back of his head and nodded. It was only then that she noticed a few band-aids scattered over Dipper’s arms and legs. Where had those come from? Well, _obviously_ they must have come from Ford, seeing as they lacked any color whatsoever, but why in the world did Dipper have so many?

“Um…yes, but that is beside the point. We have more pressing matters to discuss. Like how did you end up with Stanley?” Ford’s voice tore Mabel’s attention away from the odd injuries on her brother and back to the mysterious yet intriguing grunkle that she really wanted to get to know.

“She appeared in front of my car and was freaking out a lot. So I, helped her out a little.” Stan said, cutting off any response Mabel might’ve come up with. It was pretty much what happened though, so she nodded.

“Yup! There were a lot of lights and then it was just black. Next thing I knew, I was in a town I didn’t know. But then Stan showed up in his car and I um…wanted to come to Gravity Falls because…uh…I have family here?” She glanced quickly at Dipper, trying to affirm that her story was okay in terms of time traveling rules, or whatever it was called.

“It’s okay, Mabel. Ford knows we’re from the future,” Dipper said, though he looked worriedly at Ford, as if he still wasn’t entirely sure about how that might affect the future.

“Yes, I know of your…” Ford waved his hand around as if trying to come up with a certain word, though when it came, it didn’t seem like such a hard word to find. “…situation.”

Something about his demeanor reminded Mabel of Dipper when he hadn’t slept in over a day, and when she looked closer, she saw deep circles under his eyes. But at least he wasn’t chewing on his shirt, though maybe that was something only Dipper did.

“Mabel, do you have the time machine?” Dipper asked quickly, scanning her as if trying to see if she was hiding it somewhere.

“Yes…and no…it kind of-”

“Wait a second!” Stan’s voice cut off Mabel’s explanation, and he walked into the center of the room holding out his hands. “What the _heck_ is going on? Time machine? The _future_? You can’t be serious.”

“I had my doubts as well, Stanley, but all signs point to it. Though I would still like to see the time machine…” Ford glanced at Mabel and she tried for a smile, but it was really forced.

“Well, you see…it kind of…broke…”

“What?!?” Dipper looked at her in utter shock, his voice cracking as he spoke.

“I didn’t mean to! It fell out of my hand and Grunkle Stan ran over it! Uh, I mean…Stan,” she added quickly, trying to cover up her mistake, but it didn’t work.

“Wait, grunkle?” Stan asked, tilting his head at her in confusion.

“Oh um, yeah, you see-”

“You’re their Great Uncle, Stanley.”

Ford spoke and Mabel turned at stared at him, though he didn’t seem as shocked as she thought he might be, instead he was frowning at the wall.

“How did you-?” She started to ask, but Ford ran over her words, waving his hand like it was only a minor inconvenience.

“I read an entry in Dipper’s version of my journal. Now, do you have the time travel device. I…might be able to…do you have all the pieces?”

Ford spoke as if one thought couldn’t hold his attention for more than a second. Normally that wasn’t a bad thing, Mabel did it from time to time too, but there was something about the way he kept rubbing his eyes and blinking harshly that worried her. Glancing over at Dipper, she tried to get a hint as to what was going on, but he was grinning awkwardly at Stan who was looking back and forth between her and Dipper in shock. She just shrugged and grinned at him, not really sure what to say. Only when Ford coughed did she realize she hadn’t answered his question yet.

“Oh um, the time machine, right. I…I think I have all of the pieces? It’s out in the car-”

“Wait, you left it in the car?” Worry clouded Dipper’s eyes and he cast a glance outside, but Stan beat her to the obvious.

“There is a blizzard outside. I don’t really think anyone is going to risk freezing their face off to steal a broken time machine. Especially when it looks like a tape measure.”

“A what?” Ford asked, but then shook his head. “Never mind, just uh…bring it in and I’ll take a look at it.”

A few minutes later, Stan dropped the pieces of the broken time machine onto a table that Dipper had quickly cleared away. Mabel had wanted to go out to get the machine too, but Stan had insisted she stay inside, saying she wasn’t dressed for the weather. As if his jacket was warmer than her sweater…but she had complied, seeing as arguing would take up even more time and Ford didn’t really seem to be in the mood to wait much longer. Though that had resulted in an awkward silence inside the shack that Mabel couldn’t seem to break, but as soon as the pieces were laid out, the awkwardness dissipated.

“That’s…not good…” Dipper said, picking up one of the pieces and staring at it. To anyone else, he might just look mildly concerned, but Mabel knew better, he was on the verge of completely freaking out.

“It’ll be fine! I’m sure gru-um Ford can fix it…right?” Mabel put her hand on Dipper’s back then grinned up at Ford, but he was hardly paying her any attention. His attention was focused solely on the tape measure.

“-will need to weld some parts…may need to visit the crash site…too much time…” Ford was mumbling to himself, and Mabel could only pick up a few bits and pieces of what he was saying, most of which she didn’t quite understand. How would a crash site help him fix the time machine?

“Um, earth to Ford.” Stan waved his hand in front of Ford’s eyes. “Do you think you can fix it?”

Blinking quickly Ford looked up at Stan and then at Mabel and Dipper – Mabel gave him another smile but he didn’t even seem to notice. “I umm…” He rubbed his eyes with his hand. “Yes, I think so I just…” Letting out a long breath, he shook his head then nodded slightly, none of which seemed like an assurance that he meant what he said.

Then Stan placed a hand on Ford’s back and for a second, Ford seemed to relax, but then the second passed and anxiety lined his face again.

“Hey, uh, why don’t you kids find something to eat while I uh…catch up with my bro? Then we can figure everything out, yeah?”

Mabel couldn’t help but think that Stan sounded worried, but she trusted him so she nodded and gave him a thumbs up.

“Okay!”

Stan gave her a grateful smile and then guided Ford into one of the rooms – she was pretty sure it was Stan’s room in the future, maybe it was Ford’s room now?

A sigh and a thump sounded behind Mabel and she looked back to see that Dipper had flopped on the couch and was massaging his head with his hands.

“Hey, bro bro, it’s going to be okay. I’m sure Ford can fix it!”

Dipper looked up at her, he wasn’t even attempting to smile. “You don’t understand, Mabel. Ford isn’t…it…he…”

“Hey…why don’t we find some food and…then you can fill me in?” Worry started playing in Mabel’s chest, but she tried to push it away. Whatever was going on, it would all work out. After all, she had Dipper back and a new grunkle to help out. They could figure it all out, right?

“I-yeah…okay…let-let’s try to find something to eat.”

Dipper hefted himself to his feet and started making his way to the kitchen, looking more exhausted than she had seen him in ages. Mabel followed, but as she did so, she found that pushing away the worry in her chest was pretty much impossible. Something was going on and it didn’t look good.

* * *

“What’s going on?”

Ford heard the door click as Stan closed it all the way, which sent a rush of anxiety through his entire body. Glancing at his brother, he tried to see if his eyes had any tint of yellow to them. What he saw instead was an intense worry that almost made him stumble back in surprise.

Shaking his head, Ford tried to clear away the shock. He had to keep himself alert and focused on the tasks at hand. “We already established that, Dipper and Mabel are-”

“Not about the kids,” Stan ran over Ford’s words, effectively cutting him off. At some point in time, that act might’ve annoyed Ford, but he found he didn’t have the focus or energy to feel much of anything at the moment. “What is going on with _you_?”

And there is was again, worry, lining every inch of Stan’s face. A tumult of emotions ran through Ford in a matter of seconds but he barely had time to register one before it was gone, which just left him feeling drained and overwhelmed. He didn’t have the time or clarity to deal with this. His body felt like it was dying – and heck as maybe it was, but he couldn’t really think about that right now. He had been fine up until now; he’d be fine for a little while longer. Especially since he knew what to do now, at least when it came to Dipper. The other matter was still just as confusing and terrifying as it had been for the past few weeks.

“I’m fine.” Waving his hand, Ford tried to dismiss Stan’s concern. “I just need to fix the time machine, which might take a little while but then-”

It happened in a split second. One minute, he was pacing – what he tended to do when he was thinking – and the next, his leg buckled and he was on the ground, though something had stopped him from falling flat on his face.

“Woah, hey, easy now.”

Stan. Stan had caught him. Gosh this wasn’t good.

Shaking his head, Ford tried to clear away the exhaustion. He couldn’t stop now, not when he was so close to fixing this, not when he finally knew what he was doing. But his body wasn’t complying, he could barely manage to sit up straight.

“I-I’m fine I just need to-”

Ford tried standing up, but he couldn’t seem to make his legs move more than an inch. Suddenly two hands were gripping his shoulders, keeping him upright, which alerted him to the fact that he had started leaning again. No, no, no, this was _not_ good. He needed more time. He could _NOT_ back down he couldn’t-

“Sleep? Yeah, you need sleep, and lots of it.”

Shaking his head took too much effort, so Ford resorted to just talking, though that didn’t prove to be much easier. “I can’t. Not yet.”

“Sixer, you really-”

“No!” Ford winced at the sharpness of his voice, but that name, he couldn’t… Letting out a breath and pressing his sore hand into the ground, he steeled himself to move. But when he tried nothing happened. _Crap_.

“Ford, you are dead on your feet! You need to rest!”

“I can’t! If I do, he’ll-” His voice broke as memories played in his head. Dipper on the ground, staring at him in terror. Laughter echoing around the lab. The portal burning bright, an evil dimension lurking just behind it… Ford’s breathe caught in his throat and he found it hard to breathe as stress, anxiety, and exhaustion all raged down on him. He didn’t even realize he had slumped against Stan until he felt a hand pat his back.

“Hey, it’s okay, Ford. Just breathe. It will be okay. I-I don’t know who _he_ is, but I’ll make sure he can’t do anything while you sleep, okay?”

“Stanley you don’t understand he’s not I…” Why was it so hard to speak? To breathe? To focus? Why couldn’t he stay awake a little longer?!? Curse his weak body and his fragile mind – a mind which Bill had been playing with for so long...

“Try me, just…tell me what to do, Ford. I-I’m here to help.”

“If…if I sleep, he’ll take over my body I-I can’t…” The world was getting hazy. Everything took so much energy. He tried to sit up again, squeezing his hand to send a wave of pain through his body again, but it felt dull, everything was going in and out. He was just so _tired_.

“I…” Stan trailed off, or maybe Ford just couldn’t focus on what his brother was saying, at this point he wasn’t really sure of anything. “I doubt you can do much in this state, Ford. Or…or anything trying to _use_ you.”

“You don’t know that, I…if he…” Ford lost his train of thought, his mind was drifting. No, he couldn’t, he _had_ to focus. But he was so tired and Stan’s shoulder was so warm compared to the freezing room… He was slipping and he didn’t know if he could pull himself out of it this time. Which only made anxiety spark in his chest – but his exhaustion was too strong, making it impossible for him to react to the fear. It felt like he was trapped in his own mind and body.

“He won’t and…if he does, I’ll stop him, okay? I mean aside from up and tying you down I don’t think there is really anything else-”

“That’s it!” Ford tried to sit up, but he couldn’t even manage to straighten his back. He couldn’t move at all. It was terrifying, but at the same time, he felt himself slumping even more into Stan’s shoulder. His resolve was breaking, his body shutting down, it was impossible to stop.

“What?!? I was kidding. Ford, I’m not going to-”

“Do it…please…”

Keeping his eyes open was impossible. He was fading, but anxiety had slowed his descent into sleep. He couldn’t sleep without knowing that it would be safe, that Bill couldn’t… “Stan…please…”

“I…o-okay…”

Relief washed over Ford. It wasn’t ideal – that would be him not having to sleep at all – but it should be okay. And Stan was there to make sure Bill didn’t do anything like the last time. It would be okay, it had to be, because he needed to be in his right mind if he was going to fix a time machine and stop his tormentor. Just a little sleep, that’s all he needed…just a few minutes of rest to escape this exhaustion and worry. That would be okay. It had to be okay. Because he couldn’t keep sleep at bay any longer.

Only in the corner of his mind, was he aware of Stan practically carrying him to the bed. Something tightened around his arms and legs. He couldn’t tell if it was tight enough, but he didn’t have the energy to open his mouth either, so it would have to do. And with that last thought, sleep overcame him.

* * *

Walking hurt. Why did walking _hurt_? Dipper had never felt this terrible before and it _sucked_. But at the same time, he was relieved to have Mabel back. It was like he had recovered a vital part of himself that had been near impossible to function without. Okay, so that didn’t really make sense, but all he knew was that having Mabel with him again eased the anxiety that had been weighing him down the past few days. Granted, he was still worried about what they were going to do, but at least now they would be figuring it out together.

“Wowzah, there is like, no food in here.” Mabel held up a box of bland looking cereal and turned it over. The only things that fell out were a few dust sized crumbs.

“Yeah…there might be some more soup? Ford made some yesterday,” Dipper said, trying to remember what cabinet the food had been in as he opened a few doors.

“Ah, here we go!” He pulled out the box, only to realize it was empty. “And they’re all gone…” Shutting the door, he sighed. He wasn’t particularly hungry, but he _could_ eat, and Mabel seemed intent on finding food, which meant she was hungry. So, he kept looking.

“Grunkle Ford sure doesn’t keep the pantry very well stocked, does he?” Mabel mused as she opened another door and pulled out a box of crackers, which appeared to still have something in them when she shook it.

“Ah, yeah…I think…he’s been busy…” Just the mention on Ford made Dipper tense up, anxiety spiking in his chest as memories started creeping up in his mind. He quickly shook his head. He shouldn’t think about that; about how many mysteries and secrets were hidden in this house. Secrets that were far more dangerous than he would have ever thought possible. And to think that when he had first arrived at the shack he thought it was just a dusty old house. Oh how wrong he had been…

“Busy with what?” Mabel asked as she took a hesitant bite of a cracker. She made a face, but continued to eat it anyway.

“I-I’m not…” Dipper tried to figure out how to explain it, but just thinking about what had happened only a few hours ago made goosebumps pop up on his arms. “It’s…complicated…” Complicated was an understatement; it was downright terrifying.

Something bumped his arm and he saw Mabel holding out a cracker to him, an assuring smile on her face.

“I can handle complicated.”

As Dipper accepted the stale cracker, he couldn’t help but remember all the adventures they had gone through already. Gnomes and wax figures, lake monsters and haunted convenience stores. Mabel had been able to understand those just fine, and talking about it might help. Besides, she was his sister. She deserved to know what was going on and what they were up against, even if he didn’t even fully understand it himself.

Taking a deep breath, he nodded. “Okay. I-I don’t know everything but…Ford is…”

“Not sleeping?”

Dipper froze then nodded hesitantly. “Well, yeah but not just because he’s researching, there is…something…Bill, he’s a…well…I read about him in the journal. He’s some sort of anomaly or something and he’s…messing with Ford’s mind.”

Mabel was silent for a moment, a frown growing on her face as she munched on another cracker. Man, she must be really hungry if she was eating such stale food.

After a few more seconds, she spoke again, hesitantly but with a hint of determination. “There’s a way to stop him though, right?”

“I-I don’t think so…” Dipper trailed off as the fight from last night played in his head. Physical strength didn’t seem to be the answer, and even if it was, they didn’t really have much going for them in that department. Well, maybe Stan, but Bill seemed to like messing with the mind… Frowning, he tried to remember the journal entry he had read, but it had been a little while since he had reviewed that page. “I can’t remember anything in the journal about how to stop him and Ford didn’t sound like he knew of anything either.” Though that should be obvious, Ford had written the journal, so if he didn’t know, then the journal wouldn’t either.

“Wouldn’t Bill be stopping him though? From thinking of ways to get rid of him?”

Opening his mouth, Dipper closed it when he realized that she might actually have a point. “That…might be true…I mean, from what Ford said, Bill can only take over his mind when he’s is asleep… But he _could_ be influencing him even when he’s awake. If that were the case, Ford might not even be aware of it…”

“So that’s why he looked so tired…” Mabel muttered to herself.

Dipper barely heard her, but he nodded. “Yeah, he hasn’t slept much aside from-” The image of Bill grinning down at Dipper from Ford’s body flashed through his mind once again and he shuddered.

Then a hand rested on his back. Taking a deep breath, Dipper tried to push away the memory and focus on how to stop Bill. It was easier said than done though.

For a moment, it was silent, then Mabel asked in a quiet voice. “Is that where your bruises came from…did Bill…”

Taking another breath, Dipper nodded. At the mention of his injuries, he became aware of them again. They almost felt worse than before Mabel had shown up, which didn’t make since unless... The pain relievers. They must have worn off, which he supposed made sense seeing as it had been a few hours since he had taken them.

Something falling on the ground alerted him to Mabel, who was rummaging around the cabinets again.

“Mabel, what are you-?”

“Yes!” She shouted, grabbing something and climbing off the counted before holding up a jar of peanut butter.

Dipper found a smile growing on his face at her enthusiasm. It was familiar, and in that sense, it was a comfort. He watched as she found a knife and wiped with a towel in an attempt to clean it. Though he couldn’t help but wonder how clean it actually was. Then she scooped some peanut butter out of the jar and put it on a cracker before handing it to him. He accepted it, and as he put it in his mouth, he had to admit, they _did_ taste a little better with something on them.

“I know we don’t have a plan yet, but, hey, we fought a lake monster and a wax Sherlock Holmes, and defeated a bunch of gnomes. If we can figure that out, I’m sure we can figure this out.” She smiled at him, and he found his smile growing just a little.

“Yeah…yeah, we’ll figure it out.”

Dipper tried to grab hold of the small sliver of hope that Mabel had offered him. Doubts and worries still clung to him. But she was right, they’d get through this. One way or another, they’d figure it out. Just like they always did.

* * *

“There, done…” Stan stepped back from the bed and studied Ford, who looked anything but comfortable lying on his bed, arms and legs spread out and tied to the corners. Grabbing a blanket, Stan tossed it over Ford. It wasn’t much, but it was something… Man, what had Ford gotten himself into?

The worry that had been sitting in his chest ever since he had seen Ford again only seemed to grow. But then he heard a quiet snore and it eased a little. At least Ford was sleeping. That was the first step, they’d figure everything else out later…hopefully.

Letting out a breath, Stan pressed his back against the wall and slid to the ground, his tired limbs aching with the movement. His back was not happy with him for driving a good five hours straight without a break, but right now he didn’t care. His own health was the least of his worries at the moment. Ford was anything but okay, which was bad enough on its own. But throw in Mabel and her brother’s situation and it made it even worse. Because as far as he knew, Ford was their best bet when it came to fixing the time machine.

Time machine. Yeah, that was…strange. Though not as strange as the fact that Mabel was actually related to him. All of that pretending to be her dad or uncle or whatever and they actually _were_ family. If that wasn’t the biggest coincidence, he didn’t know what was.

As soon as he thought about that, he realized he should check on her, and her brother. They were only kids after all, and it was getting late. Sure, they might’ve found some food on their own, but from Ford’s current state, Stan found himself wondering how much food was actually…edible. He should make sure they had found something. And also see if there was anything for him too. He hadn’t eaten since Twin Falls and he was starting to feel the effects, especially because he was running low on sleep too. One or the other, he could manage, but going without either was not his ideal situation.

So, despite wanting to stay sitting for at least an hour, he forced himself to stand. When he did, he found himself looking at Ford again. His eyes passed over the bruises and scrapes littered all over his brother’s hands and face before resting on the eyepatch. None of that was normal. Or healthy.

“What happened to you, Sixer?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know, Stanley.”

“What the-!” Stan fumbled back, hitting the dresser.

Ford had just talked but…it didn’t sound…normal. Or maybe it was and Stan just didn’t know him like he used to. But the worries that Ford had voiced earlier came back to Stan. Something about someone taking over his body…and despite not understanding any of what was going on, Stan knew. He knew this wasn’t actually Ford, it wasn’t his brother talking to him, but the thing that Ford had been so scared of. The thing that had resulted in him not sleeping for who knew how long.

“Leave me brother alone, whoever you are,” Stan growled, his uneasiness increasing as a very non-Ford-like grin grew on his brother’s face.

“Oh I’ll leave him alone. When he completes his side of the deal.” The grin grew and all Stan wanted to do was get the heck out of there. But he had promised Ford he’d make sure this… _thing_ wouldn’t do anything. Plus, the thought of someone or something using Ford made his blood boil.

“My brother doesn’t owe you anything and unless you want a fist in the face, you’ll leave him alone.”

A laugh. Long, loud, and very unsettling. Ford had never laughed like that and hearing it in his voice was so wrong. “It’s funny that you think you can hurt me! Almost as funny as your loyalty to your brother!”

A growl grew in Stan’s throat. Man, whatever this thing was didn’t take a hint, did it? “Keep talking and we’ll see how much I can hurt you.”

“Ha! I’d like to see you try! You’d only be hurting your dear brother even more.” It laughed again, making Stan’s skin crawl. Heck, what had Ford gotten himself _into_?

“I’m sure I’d find a way…” Stan growled, but he was aware of how his voice shook. He was way out of his league here. The strange and unusual had always been Ford’s specialty, not his, and seeing how distraught his brother had been a few minutes ago, he didn’t know how much help he would be in this matter anyway. Especially because this thing seemed to think Ford was responsible for…this whole possession thing…though Stan was inclined to believe otherwise. Ford might not always make the best choices but he wasn’t _that_ stupid.

“Ah, but why would you do that? After all, what has your brother done for you lately? He only called you here because he was in over his head and you know it.” A knowing smile grew on Ford’s face, which was scarily realistic, something Ford would actually do. And despite not wanting to let this _thing_ get the better of him, Stan found that the smile shook him to his core.

“I’m his brother. I’m not going to just let him deal with this on his own.” Stan was firm in his words, but he felt the smallest seed of doubt creep its way into his chest.

“Oh, like how he let you deal with being kicked out of the house to live on your own?” The smile on Ford’s face grew and Stan tried to push away the resentment that came up at the mention of _that_ memory. It was one he never liked to dwell on.

“He’s never cared for you. I’m surprised you still think he does. He only wants you around when he’s desperate. And you know what? The only reason he called you here was to send you away again!” It was said with such bravado and confidence, not a hint of uncertainty. Stan wanted to argue a counter point, but the doubt in his chest was growing. Would Ford really…? No. Trying to brush off the words, Stan glared at the creature, but that meant glaring at Ford. Which felt uncomfortably natural. As if Ford himself had said the last few words.

“You-you don’t know what you are talking about.” Stan tried to put every ounce of belief into the sentence, but it still fell flat. All of the betrayal, hurt, and doubt that had been festering in his mind for almost ten years started growing stronger, egged on by this thing’s words.

“Oh yes I do. Fordsy didn’t tell you I was a creature of the mind, did he? I know Sixer’s mind like the back of my hand, I’ve been in here for a while after all. So if anyone doesn’t know what they are talking about, it’s you.”

“Shut up! Ford…Ford wouldn’t…” Stan knew he was just trying to convince himself of Ford’s innocence. Because he had been doubting his brother’s feelings towards him for years, trying to assure himself that Ford did still care. But over those years he had found that arguing that point was growing harder and harder. And now? It felt almost impossible to believe.

“Yeah, he would. But don’t take my word for it, why don’t you ask him when he wakes up? Ask him why he really sent for you. You’ll see that I’m right.” Another unsettling grin grew on Ford’s face, and then his eyes closed and a snore escaped his mouth.

Just like that, the thing was just gone. Though Stan couldn’t help but think that it wasn’t the last he would see of it. Looking at Ford, Stan felt as if his entire world had been tilted off balance. He didn’t even know what to believe anymore. Ford wouldn’t have called for him just to tell him to leave again…would he?

Taking a deep breath, he tried to focus on what mattered right now. Ford was okay, or as okay as he could be with some demon in his head. Mabel had found her brother, and they had somewhat of a plan to get them home. Even if that home was a future. One where Stan was old enough to be a great uncle.

_No, don’t think about that right now_. Stan told himself, shaking his head to clear the thought away. Mabel was still Mabel; she was a happy little kid who made him smile when he didn’t have much to smile about anymore. And right now, he needed to check on her. Yeah, that’s what he needed to do. Get out of this room and clear his head. That would help.

Casting one more glance at Ford, he stuffed down all of the emotions that were swirling around in his mind and headed out of the room to check on the kids.

But when he walked into the kitchen – which he found after taking a few wrong turns – the kids weren’t there. Though there was evidence of some food being eaten, which was a good sign. Grabbing a handful of crackers for himself, Stan stuffed a few in his mouth and made his way to the front room. And as he walked in, there were the kids. They were both conked out on the couch, a few blankets covering them, though Mabel seemed to have grabbed the majority of them.

A small chuckle escaped his mouth, and Stan managed to pry one of the blankets away from Mabel and put it over Dipper. Despite not really knowing the kid, he felt the need to look after him. Sheesh, when he had gotten so soft?

Sighing, he stepped back and surveyed his work. But even after that, he found himself just looking at them for a moment. He tried to ignore the memories that popped into his head. Images of him and Ford doing the same thing. One time, they had come into the house, soaked to the bone after a long night out in the rain. They had been working on the Stan O War. After a quick change into dry clothes, they had flopped on the couch, only to wake up the next morning both with terrible colds. It had been worth it though. The smallest smile tried to play on Stan’s mouth at the memory, but it fell as that _thing’s_ words came back to him.

_“He’s never cared for you. I’m surprised you still think he does.”_

“No.” Stan told himself quietly. It was wrong. It was just a creep who was messing with Ford and was trying to mess with him to. And Stan wasn’t going to let it get into his head too. Ford was his brother; nothing was going to change that. And despite everything he still cared. Because Stan still cared, so why would Ford be any different?

A wave of exhaustion washed over Stan as he assured himself of the truth – or what he hoped was the truth – and a yawn escaped him. Man, he could use a nap…but Ford had seemed so tense…

Maybe he could just, sit down for a bit and rest his eyes. That would be okay, right?

Making his way back into Ford’s room, Stan settled himself against the wall again, letting his eyes close as soon as he hit the floor. Thoughts continued to swirl around in his mind, but he tried not to dwell on them. And within a few minutes, they faded as sleep overtook him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN UPDATE YAY! This took...much longer than I planned for many reasons... My motivation kind of just, died and I wasn't feeling the fic at all, but then I got asked to pinch hit for the Lost Legends zine and writing something new and different helped me a little. And then I wrote some Stranger Things fics and after that I was determined to finish this chapter!  
> It kind of...grew much longer than I was expecting, it legit gained over 1,200 words in editing alone, but it was kind of fun and I'm pretty happy with it!  
> (I'm not sure when I'll update next cause I kind of reached the end of my...for sure plot so...I gotta make major decisions for the next chapter xD)  
> I hope y'all enjoyed it too! <3  
> And in case anyone is interested here is a [link to the Lost Legends zine that I'm in](https://lost-legends-zine.tumblr.com/)! Preorders opened today! :D  
> (I'm also doing an [interest check for a Hopper and Eleven zine](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Py5pf-RgiBE37n83HoZ5dblEC40Zj0LopHZ7AYGzVoc/edit) in case anyone is interested in that too ^^)


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